Must be fate
by Speedy08
Summary: Tale as old as time, True as it can be, Barely even friends, Then somebody bends, Unexpectedly. Just a little change, Small to say the least, Both a little scared, Neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast. Bumbleby. Yang&Blake
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: And the dynamic duo strikes again! This time with the re-telling of a tale as old as time *wink, wink*. This story is a crossover between RWBY and Beauty and the Beast with a little twist. Find out to see what our story has to offer that the brothers Grimm and Disney couldn't. Read and Review!**_

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Yang's POV

The stadium seemed to have gone silent. I couldn't hear anything over the pounding in my ears. What had just happened, that wasn't me. It couldn't have been. But I'd watched myself do it, felt the connection my hit made with Mercury's knee. I stumbled back, eyes wide and breath coming in heavy pants as everything started to come back into focus.

The crowd was in an uproar and medics swarmed around my fallen opponent. Mercury's friend Emerald had already jumped the railing and was heading his way. The crowd's booing was starting to filter through my own disbelief just as a hand landed on my shoulder. I turned to see the officials. Their eyes said it all. I was in trouble. I was the bad guy. I'd just really hurt this boy.

I caught sight of Mercury being hauled out on a stretcher, Emerald by his side, and the sight of his leg made my mouth taste like vomit.

One look toward the crowd, and I spotted Raven, whose gaze went from my opponent to me. There was...absolutely nothing in those eyes. No emotion to read, no clue into what she thought of this as she simply got up and walked away. Something blocked my throat, causing my breath to hitch as I lowered my head, feeling the shame eating me alive.

Mom and my sister, Ruby, joined me in the principal's office along with the principal from Haven and Oz's assistant principal, Ms. Goodwitch. I sat between them, head held in my hands as they came to my defense. Well, Ruby did. Mom sat beside me, hand rubbing gently on my back in unspoken support.

But I could feel Ozpin's eyes watching me. I didn't dare look up. What could I say? I'd lost my temper, lashed out in a desperate attempt to impress my biological mother who was nowhere to be found. I'd brought all of this on myself.

Lionheart insisted that I be expelled for injuring one of his students on top of my disqualification and ban from entering in any other tournament for the rest of my high school career that Ozpin had already issued. I was surprised I wasn't already.

I stood and left, speed walking down the hall as other students jumped out of my way allowing me to get to the gym faster. I could feel tears stinging my eyes and I didn't even bother to wrap my hands once I entered the gym, going straight for the punching bag.

Each hit to the bag left my knuckles stinging but I kept at it, pouring all my frustration into each punch. This was all I was good at. Dad had taught be how to fight, entered me in my first tournament. I could only imagine his disappointment if he was still around.

"I personally think expulsion would better punishment for you."

I turned to see Professor Goodwitch standing by the door.

"But Professor Ozpin has made up his mind. However, this will probably be the least of your concerns."

Green eyes peered at me from behind her spectacles, that always present unreadability clear as day. Ms. Goodwitch had always been what most of us thought of as the backbone behind Ozpin. She was more strict and wound a little too tight but a very competent teacher.

I turned my attention back to the sandbag, throwing a couple kicks at it. I wasn't in the mood for a lecture. Ozpin's leniency on this issue was probably due to the fact that my father had been a respected teacher here before he died.

"You should probably take this as a moment of growth for you, Miss Xiao Long," the older blonde continued.

"Ms. Goodwitch, I'm really not in the mood for -" I turned around again but paused when I noticed the teacher was no longer there. What the -

Tap. Tap. Tap.

I looked over to the mirror on the opposite side of the room, brow furrowing when I noticed Goodwitch's reflection. I searched the room, but she was still nowhere to be found. What in the world?

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The mirror drew my attention to it once more and I slowly made my way closer. Goodwitch was still there, looking bored as she waited for me figure this out. Hesitantly I placed my hand on the glass. Solid.

"Do I have your attention now?" One thin brow rose.

"How are you - What is this?"

"Magic. How else?"

"There's no such thing as magic."

She waved her hand dismissively. "We could argue about this all day while I'm standing before you inside a mirror but I have other matters to attend to today so let's wrap this up."

She disappeared, leaving my reflection in her place. At least, what was supposed to be my reflection. The person that greeted me was completely bald, with every visible inch of skin showing disgusting scars or burn marks. I reached for my head, feeling nothing but bumpy, marred skin. I looked down to my hands, seeing vain like scars covering the backs underneath my already stinging red knuckles.

"What the hell!"

"You have two years to find it in you to love, or spend the rest of your days looking like this." Glynda now stood beside me, but I could barely drag my eyes away from the horror that was my reflection. I even watched as my once lavender eyes turned a violent red. "As unattractive on the outside as you feel on the inside."

I blinked before turning to face the assistant principal.

"Two years, Ms. Xiao Long. Tick tock."

And just as suddenly as she'd appeared, she vanished.


	2. Chapter 2

Blake's POV

I should have said no. But of course I hadn't.

I took a deep breath as I closed the car door and walked up towards the crowd of lingering college students. The weather was pretty on this particular Thursday. I had thought about staying home and reading a book but Illia had insisted I go up with her and some of friends to the nearby hiking trail. I wasn't much of a hiker.

I came here to Vale to attend college and didn't really know anyone besides Ilia. We both had grown up in Menagerie as neighbors, so when I found out we would both be coming to Beacon University I was pretty excited to have at least one friend. I wasn't the social type, despite Ilia's constant efforts to get me to make new friends.

She saw me and waved, a gesture I returned, taking a sip of my bottled water. The plan was to hike up the mountain and make a bonfire at the top. I figured it wouldn't be too bad. I already had all my essays for next week done. This was sort of like my adventure, away from that crowded island. I could do this.

"Everyone, this is Blake Belladonna, she's a friend from back home," Ilia introduced. I smiled and waved a little as everyone greeted me. "So is everyone is here?"

"Everyone worth being here," Adam answered with a smirk.

Your typical jock, Adam was good at various sports including, but not limited to, football, basketball, boxing, and word had it that he was actually pretty decent with a sword. And of course he was handsome. His blue-grey eyes and reddish hair shouldn't have worked but they managed to make him even more attractive according to the girls on campus. He was good at what he did, even managed to maintain pretty good grades.

Too bad he was a complete jerk. Always had been since I'd known him back in first grade.

"Great! Let's get started!"

I prepared myself before starting up the trail behind the large crowd. So much for just inviting a few friends, I thought.

I trailed behind, looking around at the scenery. It really was gorgeous out here in the Vale countryside. Patch, I guess it was called. Although this part of the forest probably didn't compare to the lovely shade of red of the Forever Fall. At least it wasn't hot or I'd be really cranky.

"Need a little help?"

I looked up and saw Adam grinning at me. I looked around him and saw that everyone else was way ahead, almost out of sight. Was I really that slow? Must have been lost in thought longer than I'd realized. I sighed and nodded, taking his hand so he could help me climb further up. However, when he pulled me up his hand grabbed my waist and pulled me close to him.

"You know, you're a lot prettier than I remember."

I reached down and pulled his hand away, taking a step to the side. "Funny."

He shrugged. "Now, looking at you, I think I want to get to know you a little better."

I scoffed in response, walking away. "I'm sure your charm works on all those other girls that want to fall at your feet, but I'm not interested."

He grabbed my arm, pulling me so that I spun and faced him. His eyes were narrowed and I tried pulling out of his hold again. "You should be grateful anyone notices you."

"Who says I want to be noticed?"

He grinned and pulled me towards him to kiss me when I swung my hand and slapped him. Adam let me go and I fell on my rear before managing to stand up. His hand came up to rub his face and he smirked.

"It's the chase that really turns me on," he said as he came towards me. "Why you gotta hurt me, Blake?"

I struggled against his hold, trying to get him off me. There would be no point in screaming for help. The others were too far away. He pushed me towards the ledge and I looked behind me, seeing the steep drop. I tried pushing back before kicking his shin which made him let out a string a curses before pushing me away.

My eyes widened as I felt myself falling but it wasn't long before my back connected with something hard and I found myself rolling down the hill. It seemed like an eternity before I finally made contact with a flat surface, even as my world continued to spin. I let out a groan and when I tried to move I found that I couldn't. Everything hurt. My face, my arms, my legs, my head. Everything. I heard a sound and tried to tilt my head towards it, flinching.

The last thing I remembered was a blurry figure approaching. That's when everything went black.

Yang's POV

I was feeling restless. Being stuck at home for eight months could do that to a person. It was my own fault. Ever since the incident... ever since Goodwitch had turned me into this...this... freak, I'd been doing what I could to keep myself occupied.

Explaining what had happened to me when Mom and Ruby found me had been a heck of a task, especially when it turned out I could not physically say who had done it to me. Mom had used every tool in her arsenal as a doctor to try and figure out why I looked like this. She'd even called in favors from her associates but no one had an answer.

'Magic,' Goodwitch had said. I didn't really believe in magic, but whatever she'd done, science couldn't name it. So, magic curse it was. Ruby and Mom and my friends had, though they were hesitant to call it magic, had accepted that it was an unexplainable thing. They hadn't abandoned me, even when I thought they had every right to.

Everyone had stayed, except Raven. She'd stopped coming to her visitations. Every once in awhile I'd get text but other than that, she was silent. She'd gotten a new boyfriend, and that took up a lot of her time. First time she saw my new look she hadn't said a word. She didn't have to. She couldn't have said anything I hadn't already said to myself.

School had been tricky, but with only a few weeks left I'd graduated, had my diploma sent to me, and with Mom's encouragement had started taking college courses online. General stuff. 'Just in case," Mom had assured. Mom was too optimistic. Goodwitch had said that I needed to find love. Who could fall in love with someone like me?

I shook my head as I shut the cabin door behind me and stretched. It was such a pretty day. Good day for a run, if nothing else. One amazing thing about living in the middle of the woods was all the space. I started at a nice even pace, listening as my tennis shoes hit the ground, the birds chirped, the... wait, what was that?

Something loud sounded from a few feet away in the underbrush as I came to a stop. I hesitated. The sun would be setting soon, all sorts of wildlife would be out. I huffed, shaking my head as I approached where I'd heard the sound.

I was glad I did.

I quickened my pace when I spotted the girl and kneeled down next to her, checking for a pulse - good - and took stock of her injuries. The ravenette would have some killer scraps and bruises, lots of scratches around her eyes it seemed. I looked up the embankment, wondering how on earth she'd managed not to kill herself. I knew I should've gotten Mom here first to make sure her spine was ok, but frankly we didn't have the time. I hadn't even brought my cell with me.

After a slight internal debate I carefully managed to pick the unconscious girl up bridal style and made my way home with even more caution.

Mom nearly had a heart attack when I walked in, sweaty and panting, and carrying a limp body.

"What happened?"

I shook my head. "I don't know for sure. I found her like this, think she might have fallen down that big hill half a mile that way," I said, gesturing in the general direction we'd come from.

She checked the girl over. "Ideally I would want to get a complete CT," she said. "But there isn't time. I think I have enough equipment here to treat her. I don't think there's any internal bleeding. Her eyes worry me though," she stated matter of factly, bringing out her overzealous first aid kit and portable x-ray machine.

And just like that, Mom was in doctor mode.

Ruby's POV

I let out a long sigh as I closed my locker. Junior year was already half way through and it was just as 'exciting' as every year before it had been. The halls were packed with students and I did my best to navigate around them to get to class before the bell rang. Mom had dropped me off a little later than usual because she had wanted to do check our guest's vitals.

I had been as surprised as mom when Yang had come in asking for medical assistance. She initially had looked pretty bad but it seemed she would be fine. Mom was a little worried she hadn't woken up yet but it had only been a day and Mom had double checked to make sure she didn't have a concussion.

I scribbled down a few notes before my mind began to drift away. It was Friday and next week was spring break. Usually we had things planned but ever since the tournament last year... Yang had developed some sort of condition that couldn't be attributed to natural causes. I mean, she'd only be gone a few minutes. Less than an hour before we found her with a shaved head, burns, and scars all over her body. She'd had said something about having two years to find love but couldn't tell us what had happened.

It was so bizarre. I could tell Yang was hesitant to use the word but the prospect that this was actual magic was interesting to me. I mean, yeah, magic wasn't real, or at least it wasn't supposed to be... Still, what else could you call this?

But despite everything, we had all tried to be as supportive as we could. Yang had already taken a hard blow with the whole Mercury thing. She'd taken everything pretty hard and was beating herself up. There'd actually been a couple months where'd she'd gone into a pretty depressive state, hardly ever leaving her room. Mom, myself, and our friends had refused to leave her though. I'd spent a few night in her room with her, just being there, giving her plenty of hugs.

Yang had always said I gave pretty warm hugs.

Second period was more bearable than the first class had been. Biology was my favorite class even if the professor was a little quirky. When the final bell rang I grabbed my stuff and waited for Penny outside the school. I smiled as I saw her walk out, seemingly without a care in the world. Penny had autism, meaning she didn't understand certain things. Despite that, it hadn't taken long for us to become friends. I wasn't exactly the normal kid in school either.

"Salutations!" she greeted.

"Salutations," I answered. "So you have any plans for spring break?"

"My father is thinking of taking me to Atlas." Penny replied. "Would you like to come?"

"I'd love to but I don't want to leave Yang."

She tilted her head. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. She won't be alone."

I readjusted my bookbag on my shoulder. "I know, but we've always gone out together."

The redhead hummed in response. "Are your friends coming over?"

I nodded. "Weiss and Sun are for sure," I replied. "I haven't heard from the rest yet."

We stopped at the fork in the road and she smiled at me. "I'll see you in one week, Ruby."

"Bon voyage," I answered with a wave.

Summer's POV

I took a deep breath in through my nose, held it, then released it through my mouth as I sat in my car in my driveway. Today had been one of those days. Being a trauma surgeon sometimes could be especially difficult, but so could being a single parent. Regardless, I had no regrets. My two girls were my whole world. I just hated when my job forced me to neglect them, even a little bit.

A man had come in today who'd been rammed by a truck going too fast and ran a red light. He'd been in pretty rough shape. The whole thing had reminded me of Tai, so I'd asked to take lead on this one.

I'd visited his grave earlier this week with Ruby. Yang hadn't come. She'd refused to come out in public ever since this 'curse' business happened. I felt horrible that I couldn't fix it. My little sun dragon was hurting and everything I'd attempted in order to find a solution had resulted in nothing.

I sighed and got out of the car, carrying the fast food containers in and setting them on the table before I went and checked on our unexpected guest. I found Yang by her bedside. She'd been adamant of staying with her. Despite the situation, I was glad she was spending more time out of her room, though I still wondered how long that would last. I suspected that once the patient's bandages came off, Yang would retreat back to her room until the girl left.

When she'd come home from a run with a young woman in her arms, I'd thought I'd have to take her to the hospital but after a thorough check-up, I'd decided she could be treated at home. There were no injuries that would require hospital machinery though I would like to run a few tests once she was awake. Her eyes worried me, but it seemed as there were just scratched from when she fell.

"Any changes?" I asked, checking the IV bag.

"She started stirring about an hour ago," Yang answered.

I hummed in response as I took her pulse before moving to her leg. Her ankle was sprained and there were bruises all over her body. At first I'd thought she'd dislocated her arm too but there was just a nasty cut there that had required twenty stitches in all to close it. The dark haired girl groaned softly as she started to come to and I sat on the bed.

"Wh-where...what...I..."

"Hello there," I greeted. "I'm Dr. Rose. You had an accident. Do you remember having an accident?"

"I...I can't see," I could hear the panic in her voice. "I can't see! Why can't I see?"

"I need you to remain calm," I soothed. "I know it can be scary to wake up and not know where you are or what happened. You have bruising around your eyes. I've bandaged them so that they have time to heal. You're not blind."

She let out a whimper before groaning when she tried to sit up. Yang placed a hand over hers and the young woman immediately grabbed onto it. Poor girl.

"What's your name?"

"Blake," she said. "Blake Belladonna."

"Is there anyone I can call? Your parents? A friend?"

"My parents died a few years ago," Blake replied. "I don't really have anyone." A pause. "Am I in a hospital?"

"No," I answered. "You're at my house. My daughter, Yang, found you while out in a run. You were really lucky."

She let go of my daughter's hand and tapped it once. "Are you Yang?"

"Yes."

"Thank you."

I smiled and placed a hand on Blake's shoulder. Today was just one of those days.

Blake's POV

That feeling of waking up and not being able to see had been terrifying. My mind registering that my body was worn out and tender was even more so. Dr. Rose had been kind enough to list out my injuries, and that allowed me time to remember what exactly had happened.

Adam. He'd actually pushed me down a hill.

I inhaled deeply, trying not to upset my body more than necessary. The hand I'd been holding gave me a reassuring squeeze once Dr. Rose footsteps disappeared. Yang. I'd heard that name before... when...

"You should rest," Yang said. "You're pretty beat up."

I let go of their hand and managed to sit up a little while turning my head in the direction of her voice. My hand reached up and touched the bandages covering my eyes before another hand gently lowered it.

"They'll heal soon, just give it time. Mom says there was no actual damage to your eyes but that they'll heal easier this way."

"Where exactly am I?"

"Still in Patch. This is a small property a couple miles away from Beacon University and less than a mile from where I found you."

"Are you from around the area?" I asked curiously. It was driving me crazy, not being able to place where I'd heard her name before.

A sigh. "Yeah. Grew up here. Went to Beacon High School and then...and then something happened. You must of heard about it on the news."

Ah! That was it! "The boy that got his knee knocked out. That was you."

She didn't answer immediately, but when she did it was a quiet, "Yes." Another long pause followed. "You must think I'm a monster for doing that."

"I have to admit I was surprised," I replied. "But I don't know what was going through your head. Sometimes we do things that we aren't proud of. A mistake shouldn't be a life sentence."

I could hear the sound of fabric rustling and assumed she was shifting. She cleared her throat. "Are you sure there isn't anyone I can call?"

Ilia. She'd be worried. Then there was my car...I asked her for my phone, which gratefully survived the fall. It only rung twice before Ilia picked up and started asking a million questions. I patiently waited for her to wind down before explaining what had happened. To say she was ticked was putting it lightly. Apparently Adam had told them I had gone off with some guy on my own, the lying bastard. I told her I was fine but wouldn't be moving much for the first next few days and promised to give her an address as soon as I could.

"Anyone else?" Yang asked when I hung up.

"My parents died three years ago," I repeated, trying to hide the knot in my throat. "Ilia is the only person I have left."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I lost my dad too." I nodded my head and I heard her take a deep breath. "So what do you like to do for spring break?"

"I usually read or get assignments done."

"What kind of books do you like to read?" she asked.

"Mystery, romance, suspense." I shrugged. "A little bit of everything."

"I used to read fairytales to my little sister, Ruby. Her favorite was Red Ridding Hood and the Werewolves."

My lips twitched in response. "Isn't it just Red Riding Hood?"

Yang laughed. "I may have tweaked the stories a little."

Her laughter was actually very infectious.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Hello everyone! Here's the next Ch. of BatB. Please drop in a review and thank BG-13 for her awesomeness. Also check out our other stories: Night Raid (BG-13's profile) and Alpha and Omega (my profile). Enjoy!**_

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Yang's POV

I stuck out my tongue as I tinkered with the brake belt. Since I couldn't exactly go out and ask for a job with my appearance, I'd come up with the only other solution: bring the work to me. Ever since I could remember I liked fixing things. My bike, Ruby's radio, and eventually even Mom's car. So when I'd enrolled in online classes I'd declared my major in mechanical engineering. The first two years mostly consisted of general classes and some electives. If I made it passed the second year I'd start working on the actual mechanical side of things.

Anyway, my current project had been brought to me by my two assistants, Sun and Neptune, who had advertised my mechanical skills and brought me all sorts of things to work on. I already had quite a bit of money saved up, probably enough to pay for the two years I had left at Beacon University and still have some money left over for books. Of course, this only provided me with half my income.

I was just finishing up when I heard a set of squeaky wheels and pulled out from under the car to see Mom and Blake. Her eyes were still bandaged but the swelling on her sprained ankle had gone down.

"Hey there," I greeted as I wiped the grease from my hands.

"Hello."

"I decided that Blake needed a little vitamin D to help with her recovery," Mom said with a smile. "And of course a little fresh air."

I nodded. "I couldn't agree more."

Mom patted Blake's shoulder, before looking up at me again. "I'll bring you both some sandwiches and lemonade. You've been working out in the sun for quite a while."

"Working?" Blake asked curiously, turning her head in my general direction as Mom left to go back in the house. "What are you doing?"

"Fixing a car," I answered sitting down next to her. "It's a bit of a side job."

"You're a mechanic?"

I laughed. "I guess you could say that. At least that's what I'm going to college for. I think I'm pretty decent."

The dark haired girl hummed. "Do you go to a trade school or...?"

"Beacon University," I replied. "Online classes. Can't really show my face around there right now."

"Because of what happened?"

I flexed my jaw but managed a smile for my mom, glad that Blake was unable to see my reaction, before taking the tray of food and setting it on the table.

"Sort of. You hungry?"

"Starving."

I nodded even though she couldn't see and guided her hand to her sandwich and the glass of lemonade before digging in myself. She talked about her major, social work, and how she had picked it because she wanted to help people. Her parents had been killed in a plane plash and the hospital social worker had helped her a lot while she recovered from her own injuries.

We sat there and chatted until the sun started to go down and she started to shiver. I wheeled her back inside and helped her back into the guest bed. I told her goodnight and turned off all the lights, shutting the door gently behind me. I grinned to myself, shaking my head.

It was nice having someone to talk to.

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Ruby's POV

I woke up Saturday morning to laughter. I groaned as I sat up, stretching my arms before looking at the alarm clock. Who in their right mind would be up at seven on a Saturday? During Spring Break! I kicked off the sheets and left my room, going next door to the guest room. I smiled when I noticed our guest wasn't alone. My sister sat next to her on the bed, careful to avoid Blake's elevated ankle.

Mom and I'd noticed that ever since my sister found Blake, she seemed...happier, not spending nearly as much time locked up in her room. However, we both worried that it was only a matter of time before the bandages came off, and Yang shut down again. During yesterday's checkup, Mom had commented that they would be coming off soon and I'd seen Yang shift uncomfortably. We'd all told her we didn't care what she looked like but she was worried about what our guest would think.

"Do you know what time it is?" I grumbled as I came inside.

"Sorry, Ruby," Yang apologized. "Blake and I were talking about our favorite T.V. shows and I couldn't believe she likes Love Ninja." She made a face, scrunching up her nose and shaking her head.

"It has a good plot," the ravenette defended. "Not to mention the lead actor is very good looking."

"Yang, you watch cartoon reruns. I don't think you're in any place to judge," I answered with a yawn, sitting down next to my sister and leaning against her shoulder.

Yang stuck her tongue out at me.

"So, Ruby, your sister told me about your baking disaster."

"Yang!"

"It's a cute story!" my sister replied with a smirk, one of her hands coming up and running through my hair. It could have lulled me back to sleep if there there wasn't the more pressing issue of her telling our guest embarrassing stories.

"I was five!"

"And you almost burned the kitchen down."

I crossed my arms and grumbled. Mom had promised to bake cookies when she got home but had been unable to leave work due to an emergency surgery. Yang had tried to take me to the market a mile down to buy a package of cookies but I'd always liked the homemade kind. So I started the oven and things may have gotten a little out of control from there.

"Oh yeah? Well did you tell Blake about the time when you pulled apart Dad's engine?"

My sister's smile remained undisturbed though she rubbed the back of her neck in a sheepish manner with her free hand. "Well, I, uh."

Blake smiled and reached out to touch Yang's knee, tapping it twice. "That's a story I want to hear."

Yang groaned in jest and I laughed. Two could play this game, sis.

* * *

Sun's POV

I waved at the man in the driver's seat as he drove away before putting the roll of money in my jacket pocket to make sure it didn't get lost. For a while now Neptune and I will find customers for Yang to keep her busy. She was great with a wrench and the cars almost purred when she was done with them. Now thinking about it, business was booming quite nicely.

I looked over at my blue haired friend and asked him drive us to Patch. We'd all been away for most of spring break so we'd decided to drop in and visit the two sisters for the weekend. Given what had been going on the last ten months, they could use the company.

Everyone was skeptical of Yang's story, even if no one would admit it. I, on the other hand, thought it was completely plausible. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed but my grandfather used to tell me stories about witches casting spells on unsuspecting humans to teach them a lesson, and Yang's story fit that pretty well. The only problem I saw with the whole thing is that her chances of actually breaking were slim to none given that she never left her house. We were all working on that bit though.

"Sun. Neptune. So good to see you boys," a familiar voice greeted.

"Hey Dr. Rose!" I answered. "Is everyone here yet?"

"No. You're actually the first to arrive. I'm going to pick up Ruby from Penny's house. Make yourself at home."

"Will do."

We didn't have much time to relax before the rest of our motley crew stormed in. Nora was first, practically dragging Ren behind her. Pyrrha, the Greek exchange student who I called the Amazonian warrior, came shortly after, Jaune by her side. And finally, the princess and heiress of our group made her entrance. Weiss was wearing one of her usual classy outfits, ponytail to the side. I honestly hadn't thought she would make it given all the business trips her father had been dragging her on. She was the busiest person I knew.

"Whelp. Now that we're all here, we could probably go check on Yang."

We made our way back to Yang's room but she wasn't there, surprisingly. Nora nudged Ren and that's when we heard it, voices. I tilted my head curiously. And not just Yang's voice.

"Hold the fort everyone," I said as I peeked through the open door, eyes widening. Sitting down in the middle of the study was not only our friend, but... "It's a girl!" I added excitedly in a somewhat hushed whisper as I turned to look at the rest of the gang.

The girl was pretty from what I could tell, with long black hair and a nice smile which she was currently directing at the former blonde. But she had bandages covering her eyes. That was ... Interesting.

"Yes, everyone here is aware that's a girl. Your point?" the Schnee answered.

"Well this is a good thing, right? Maybe this chick could be the one to break the curse on Yang!" I mean, according to Yang the person who'd put this curse on her had said she needed to find it in herself to fall in love with someone. Seemed like an odd way to break a spell honestly, but hey, I didn't make the rules.

"Oh, don't start."

I growled in frustration. If there was someone who didn't buy into what Yang had said it was Weiss. She was supportive and had done what she could to be there for Yang, especially during the first couple months but the Ice Queen didn't have a superstitious bone in her body. Yet she didn't have a logical explanation to offer.

The door shut behind me and I turned to see Yang, leaning against the frame.

"Hey, Yang!" I greeted.

"Hey everyone," she replied. "I didn't expect you all until next week."

"We thought you can use some company," Pyrrha answered, a small smile slowly spreading across her face as she continued with, "But it seems you already have some."

I heard a couple of excited squeals come from Nora and I couldn't help it, I was excited too.

"Yang! This girl, have you told her about the curse yet? Maybe she-"

"No."

My smile faltered a bit, brow furrowing in pure confusion. "What?"

Yang sighed and shook her head, looking back at the closed door behind her before returning her attention to me. "She's only going to be here until she heals. She had an accident and I found her."

"But-"

"No, Sun," she answered firmly. "That's all that's going to happen here."

"But why?" Pyrrha asked, reaching out and placing a concerned hand on the other woman's shoulder. "Perhaps it was destiny that you found her."

Yang scoffed and shook her head. "Look at me." We lowered our gazes in response. Even if she wanted us to, we knew she didn't like for us to stare. "Who could ever love this?"

"We do," Nora replied quietly, one of her hands holding Ren's but her sky blue eyes looking straight at her taller friend. "You know we love you, Yang. And if that was enough to break this curse then..."

For a second, Yang's eyes softened and even I could tell that Nora's words had touched the former brawler. But with a deep breath, Yang shook her head. "I appreciate the sentiment but... Look, I'll introduce you. But please, don't mention anything about the curse or how it's broken."

We were all reluctant to agree, and I noticed Weiss had crossed her arms over her chest, glaring down at the floor like it had personally offended her. She'd been friends with Yang and her sister the longest out of all of us, and I knew this whole situation rubbed her the wrong way. But she nodded anyway.

* * *

Blake's POV

I laughed as I tightened my hold slightly. Since my ankle hadn't healed completely, Yang had decided that the only efficient way for me to move around her home was by piggyback. She was helping me walk with crutches and we had practiced placing some pressure on my foot but it was still uncomfortable. I rested my chin on top of her shoulder, my cheek pressed against whatever was covering her head. Probably a beanie if I had to guess given the more cotton feel of it.

I heard a squeak and reached out to help push the door open. I might not have been able to see but my other senses worked fine. Yang muttered a 'thanks' as she moved forward before slowly leaning back to allow me to slide off. I scooted back against the pillows and elevated my foot as I was told. If everything went well the bandages would be coming off in just a couple of days. I'd been talking to Ilia most nights the last week and she couldn't wait to see me. Quite frankly, neither could I. Last time I took my eyes for granted.

"You know, I think being temporarily blind might help my lack of romance," I started when I didn't hear her leave. "I've heard that people dig blind girls."

"Too bad they don't dig ugly girls."

I wasn't sure if I was actually supposed to hear that. But there was no mistaking the bitterness in that voice. I tried to recall what I could about the news of the tournament ten months ago. I hadn't paid it that much attention but I could recall long golden hair.

"Why do you say that?"

"You'll just have to trust me on this one," she said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "People don't want a girl that looks like me."

"Then they don't see what I see."

There was a scoff. "You can't even see."

"I can see you."

She didn't answer, and I made myself sit a little straighter against the pillows. I slowly moved my hand forward until I finally found one of her gloved ones, pulling her toward me a little. I heard and felt the bed shift and smiled.

"Can I see you? I mean, with my hands?"

The hand I was holding hesitated before leading my hand up to her face, and my free hand followed that path, gently cupping her cheek in each palm. I rubbed my thumb across the skin there as her hand released mine, brow furrowing just a tad in concentration but also due to the abrasions I felt there. I traced the bridge of her nose, the line of her jaw, her apparent lack of eyebrows. Some skin was rough, like scar tissue, and some felt lacerated. I could feel the warmth of her cheeks and wondered if she was blushing.

I moved my hands up, moving toward the beanie when both her hands gentle grabbed both my wrists, stopping me. "What did you see?"

"Not someone I'd consider ugly."

Yang sighed. "Saw right through that one, didn't you?"

I hummed. "Irony at its finest," I told her, patting the spot next to me on the bed. The bed shifted once more and then I felt her sit next to me so that we were shoulder to shoulder. "So what about you? You dig blind girls?"

I was pleased by the surprised sound of disbelief, and I felt her shoulders shake in a bit of laughter. "So forward," she teased. A moment later she added, "It's getting late. I should probably let you rest."

I wanted to argue, but I knew I'd be feeling the fatigue shortly. Sleep did sound incredible. So with a sigh of disappointment I made myself comfortable as Yang got up and off the bed, tucking me in just as she did most nights. I heard her heavy footfalls head toward the door as she told me goodnight, and I was out moments later.

* * *

Yang's POV

I took a deep breath before I started working on my punches, jumping up and down to keep my muscles warm and loose. So much had happened this week and would be happening that I just needed a break. Blake and I had been talking more and more as the days passed and she didn't even seem bothered by not being able to see anymore, using her other senses to get a clearer picture of what was going on. I'd taken to carrying her on my back around the house for efficiency and because she sort of seemed to enjoy it. She'd rest her chin on my head or shoulder and talk.

I'd been so caught up with her that when my friends had shown up I hadn't even noticed spring break was almost over. Time had seemed to fly by with the ravenette here. I was happy to see them and introduce them to Blake but then Sun had gotten a little too excited. He was one of the few people that completely believed my story of being cursed, and like all my friends and family he was just as desperate to break it. So when he'd seen Blake he'd thought that maybe she could help. But I knew better. Once she saw my face she'd run away screaming.

Even if tonight she'd said she could "see me." Whatever that meant.

We'd been flirting, or at least she had been flirting and I'd been cautiously reciprocating. I knew what would happen once those bandages came off. And I was dreading it. She'd ask to feel my face to "see" my face with my hands and I had allowed it, watching her expression and seeing the slight furrow of her brows whenever she came across the bumps, scars, and burns.

As soon as she was asleep, I came here. The only place where I didn't have to hide what I was and could do what I wanted: fight.

"Hey, you're up," Junior called.

I took a deep breath and nodded, walking out into the ring. I usually didn't leave the safety of my home but I'd stumbled across this place during the first couple weeks of this curse. An illegal fighting ring, just outside the actual city of Vale. When I first met Junior I'd seen the color drain from his face until I asked about fighting. He'd sent me in to fight a guy twice my size as a test run. I'd passed with flying colors and he'd dubbed me "The Dragon."

Usually I made my fights quick and I made every effort not to be hit or seriously injure a fighter. I wouldn't repeat what had happened with Mercury, even if the breaking of bones was more than allowed. I heard the crowd rumble as I came out and I stretched my neck from side to side until I heard a crack before getting into position.

My opponent came out, shirtless and about as ready as I was to fight. I saw the smirk on his face sighed. It wasn't uncommon to be underestimated around these parts.

He threw a kick that I easily dodged before I sent a kick of my own to his side and head. It threw him off balance a bit and he rubbed his jaw before coming back and sending a series of roundhouse kicks. I dodged three hits before taking one to the side with a grunt.

I jumped avoiding a sweeping kick and punched him in the middle of his chest, knocking the wind out of him. I took advantage and sent a series of roundhouse kicks to his side before going for his face, knocking him down on the floor. The crowd cheered and I walked back over to my corner, taking the bottle of water from one of Junior's grunts. I took deep breaths, letting the yelling and cheers fade into the background.

At least here I didn't have to hide.


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Ruby's POV

I watched as Mom asked Blake to sit still on the couch while she cut the gauze and unwrapped it from around Blake's eyes. The dark haired girl winced a little when the scissors snipped but other than that did as she was told. I helped dispose of the bandages and then the gauze pads, noticing that the scars left behind would fade with time. Mom shot a look down the hall and shook her head. I knew how she felt.

We'd both hoped that this last week would have been enough for Yang to stay once the bandages were removed, that she'd want to properly introduce herself to our guest. I mean, they'd been getting along so well, and I hadn't seen my sister smile so much in a very long time. Sadly, it seemed that Yang would not be joining us.

"Alright Blake now I want you to open your eyes real slow," my mom instructed. "It'll be blurry at first but that's normal. Give it a minute for everything to focus."

Slowly she did what she was told and I offered a wave and smile when she focused on me. She managed to return the gesture as she blinked, golden eyes looking all around the room before her lips turned down in a frown. I sighed, knowing who she was looking for.

"Where's Yang?" Blake asked as Mom checked her eyes with the light pen.

"In her room," I replied.

"Oh."

"Yang has a hard time with people," my mom tried to excuse, nodding to herself as she put the pen away, satisfied with how the wounds had healed.

"She seemed to be fine when I couldn't see."

"It's complicated," I tried. Understatement of the century. Yang had made it clear to all of us that the curse and all that was related to it was not to be mentioned to Blake. Not that explaining the whole story to her would have been simple to begin with.

"Here's your phone," Mom said, handing over the device. "I want to keep you one more day for observation but you can call your friend so she can pick you up tomorrow."

She nodded her head, tapping her phone in her palm a few times. "Thank you, Dr. Rose, really. I appreciate you putting up with me for the past week," she said. Golden eyes then flicked passed us toward the hallway. "Where's Yang's room? I'm not leaving without seeing her."

Mom and I shared a smile, both having actually suspected as much. Maybe there was hope after all. "Here, let me help you," I offered as I grabbed her crutches and helped her down the hall to the last door on the left. I made sure she could stand before heading back into the living room to wait for the results.

* * *

Blake's POV

I knocked on the door twice before leaning against the frame, trying not to put too much pressure on my still tender limb. My bandages had finally come off and I'd been disappointed to find that everyone but Yang was there. Dr. Rose had explained that her oldest daughter had a hard time forming relationships but I knew better. Something told me that the reason behind her disappearing act had something to do with how she looked.

I wasn't stupid, I'd been paying attention. After the plane crash I had been taken to a hospital and had a chance to see all sorts of physical deformities caused by freak accidents. I didn't care what she looked like, I just...I needed to see her.

"Go away."

"Geez, if I knew this was the treatment I was gonna get I would have stayed blind," I teased in response through the door. "Looks like you do dig blind chicks after all."

"I'm sorry," she apologized, her voice sounded closer. I tried moving the door knob but I had no luck. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah, I thought we could talk and get to know each other more now that I can see."

A pause, and I was certain I heard a soft thud against the door, like she was now leaning against it. "You wouldn't like me very much."

"How about you let me decide that?" I replied as I tried to put some pressure on my left leg, taking a deep breath. "You know I can't stand around for too long and I'm leaving tomorrow."

There was another pause as I waited. "...I'm going to bed," was the only response I got.

"Okay then."

I sighed and limped next door before calling Ilia and asking her to bring me some clothes for tomorrow. I could tell she was excited to see me. We hadn't been separated like this in a very long time. Going back to our dorm and crawling into my own bed sounded amazing, honestly. But there was something I wanted to do before I left.

The next morning she arrived early and basically tackled me into a hug. I laughed as I reciprocated the action, letting her help me change before asking her to wait in the car while I walked back into the house and knocked on Yang's bedroom door once more.

"Yang, I'm not leaving until I see you. You've been avoiding me since yesterday," I replied, trying to ignore the discomfort in my leg. "C'mon, my leg is getting tired."

"You should go."

"Not without seeing you." She didn't reply and I huffed. "Look, whatever it is I can take it. Moles, scars, two heads. I don't care." I paused. "Yang, please."

I waited a moment more before I heard the lock give. I slowly opened the door, stepping into Yang's room and getting to actually see it for the first time. There was a bed pressed against the far wall, the sheets were tan but the pillows were an Autumn yellow. There was a desk pressed against the right wall next to a closet, with a bookcase up above the desk. Quite the collection, really. And in the middle of it all was Yang, sitting on the bed, the hood of her jacket up as her head hung forward, fingers tapping against her knee. She was nervous, anxious.

I waited for her to make the first move. And it didn't take as long as I thought it would. She looked up and lowered the hood slowly, revealing what had had her so reluctant. My smile did falter slightly as I took in all the scars and burn like scars that covered her bald head.

"Terrifying, isn't it?" Yang said quietly, her crimson eyes looking into mine. The red color of the eyes threw me off, surprising me how such an intense color could be so timid and gentle looking.

"I've seen worse," I replied evenly, regaining my soft smile even as the taller woman opened and closed her mouth, unsure of how to respond to this. This only made me grin as I finally turned to leave "See you later, Yang."

* * *

Ilia's POV

After going almost two whole weeks without seeing my best friend, saying that I was ecstatic to have her back would be quite the understatement. Sure, we'd talked on the phone, and she'd told me she was fine, but that first bit of worry when she hadn't been back at the dorm that first night had been awful.

We'd all reached the end of the hiking trail when I'd noticed Adam had brought up the rear by himself. When asked about where Blake had gone he'd simply shrugged and grabbed a beer, and later when I'd seen that her car was still in the parking lot he'd had the audacity to suggest that perhaps she'd run off with some guy. I knew better.

I'd been both relieved and worried when she'd called to let me know what had happened. She'd assured me that she was being taken care of and that she needed me to take notes for her, and make sure she got all of her assignments once classes resumed if she wasn't better by then.

We shared a smile as I drove her back to our dorm, and I couldn't help but glance over at her leg, wondering if we'd have to get that checked out again. After the crash she'd had several surgeries on it and ended up with a metal rod. I would probably end up having her schedule an appointment to make sure nothing had happened to it when she fell. Other than the scratches around her eyes she didn't look too bad.

We stopped for some take out and I helped her out the car though she insisted that she was perfectly capable of walking on her own. I let out a sigh but nodded and simply opened the door for her before going to grab some plates and joining her in our living room. Blake's parents were really well off and left her quite the sum of money which she was using both for classes and to pay rent on our dorm. I, on the other hand, took care of any other bills and food. Not that Blake really ate much.

"Better finish that," I said when she put her container of noodles down. "If you want to get off the crutches sooner that is."

"I can assure you I've been eating plenty," she replied leaning back and elevating her leg. "But I'm kind of full. I can eat it for breakfast tomorrow."

I sighed but continued to chow down on my own food. "So what was it like there?"

"Dr. Rose was really nice and I think I made a new friend."

I perked up at this. Blake didn't normally have an easy time making friends. "Do tell."

She let out a small laugh. "Her name is Yang and she helped take care of me," Blake explained. "We kind of hit it off. I'm actually planning to go visit her after classes and to ask Dr. Rose if she can check out my leg."

"Is it bothering you? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?" I asked, getting ready to stand and help her out to the car.

"No, it's just, I want to make sure there's nothing wrong. I don't want another surgery."

I hummed and sat down placing a hand on her thigh. "I'm really glad you're okay." She smiled and placed her hand over mine. "And if you're wondering I gave that jackass a piece of my mind. Told him I'd press charges if he came within ten feet of you."

"You didn't have to do that. I'm okay."

"He could have killed you," I countered. "And I wanted to. He needs to know you're not alone. You have me to watch your back."

Blake smiled at this. "Thank you."

I smiled and stood. "Well better hit the sack. We have early classes tomorrow."

I sent her off to bed while I threw away the empty boxes of take out and put the leftovers in the fridge. Once everything was clean I locked the door and turned off the lights before going into our room. Blake was already in bed and I changed before going over to her bed and raising the blanket.

"Move over," I said and she simply smiled before scooting closer to the wall. "Good night."

"Good night."

* * *

Yang's POV

I'm being ridiculous, I thought to myself, sighing as I wheeled myself back under my latest fixer upper. So what if she didn't run away in complete terror when she saw me? So what if she'd said she'd seen worse? It didn't matter. And yet, my mind stayed fixated on the slow smile that had spread across Blake's face as she took my appearance in. The words 'I've seen worse' repeated in my mind over and over.

I was being stupid. She was never coming back. I was never going to see her again. That was just a fact. It didn't matter that Ruby had told me I'd been the first person she'd asked for after the bandages came off.

I huffed, maneuvering my arm so that it covered my eyes. This was pathetic.

"Yang?"

I jumped with a start, recoiling when I hit my forehead against the underside of the car. I rolled out from under my latest project, rubbing my head as I did, my eyes widening when I saw who'd entered the garage. I pulled my hand away from my forehead and sighed when it came away red.

Smooth, Xiao Long. Real smooth.

Blake's lips were pressed together in what looked like an attempt to keep from laughing as she asked if I was okay. She didn't really give me time to answer as she was already limping forward with the help of a crutch and carefully kneeling down beside where I was sitting.

"That looks pretty nasty," she said, examining the cut I knew was there. Not that it mattered. It would soon blend in with all the other horrible disfigurements.

I waved my hand dismissively, reaching over to the workbench and grabbing one of the rags I hadn't gotten around to using yet and using it to apply pressure. "It's fine."

Blake didn't seem to hear me. "Where's your first aid kit?"

I opened my mouth, set to argue that I was fine and this wasn't a big deal, but stopped myself when I saw the determined expression on her face. I shook my head and gestured over to one of the cabinets as I shifted to sit in an actual chair. She said nothing as she sat her crutches down and limped over, grabbed what she needed, and came back with alcohol pads.

"Hold still."

As she worked I examined what was left over from her eye injuries. They were nothing more than tiny white lines now. My brow furrowed.

She must have noticed I was staring. "Something wrong?"

"Your eyes are gold," I muttered, taking in the unique coloring for the first time.

Her lips twitched into a smile. "Yes, they are."

"They're really beautiful." My eyes widened when the words left my mouth, and I felt my cheeks warm. Crud. I hadn't meant to say that.

But Blake only bit her lip, those gold eyes tearing away from my injury and meeting my gaze. "So forward," she teased. Her eyes then looked back up at the laceration and she nodded, satisfied with her work.

"So, you came back."

"Why wouldn't I?" she asked. "What? Did you think I'd run away?"

Yes. "Who wouldn't?" I answered back with a shrug.

She studied me for a long moment. "You know, not many people would have brought me home to their doctor mother after I fell," she said. "You gave me that chance. I owed you the same."

I managed a smile, shaking my head. "So, um, how's being back in school?"

"We had a surprise quiz today," she replied. "I was surprised."

It was her laugh that made me realize I was in deep trouble.

* * *

Summer's POV

I hummed as I studied the x-rays of our former guest. Her medical records stated that her femur had been broken in four places and had a metal rod inserted to help the leg maintain its normal function. She'd come in complaining of slight pain but also wanted to make sure the rod hadn't moved. Now, reading her file and seeing the x-ray, it seemed that it had moved minutely but should reset itself within a few weeks. I had to admit that despite the crash she'd been in her injuries hadn't been as bad as I'd have expected.

"You were really lucky," I commented quietly before returning my attention to her leg. I had noticed the scarring when Yang first brought her in but I hadn't asked. "You'll feel discomfort for a few weeks. I'll prescribe you some medication in case the pain worsens. If it does, have someone bring you in."

Blake nodded her head and sat up. "Do I still need to use the crutches?"

I shook my head. "You'll probably feel discomfort but that'll go away once your leg gets used to the pressure again."

"Cool."

I handed her the prescription and watched as she limped past me and out the door. I sighed and shook my head as I began sterilizing the equipment. For a couple of days now I'd been taking note of her interactions with my eldest daughter. I'd even noticed that she seemed to, on some level, be infatuated with the former blonde. Yang had started to flirt back cautiously but I knew she didn't have much to worry about. Blake seemed to genuinely like her and it made me happy.

I was sure that to some extent, Yang thought Ruby and I, as well as her friends, had to like her despite the way she looked. The dark haired girl, however, didn't seem to mind in the slightest and I hoped that perhaps that would help my daughter break out of her self-imposed shell.

That was all I could do. Hope.


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Blake's POV

Even if our walk through the woods surrounding Yang's house had been on the lighter side of things, I could still feel my leg starting to protest any strenuous movement. It was such a pretty day, though. I couldn't just let it go by. At least my leg hadn't cramped like it had after the first two surgeries after the accident.

I offered Yang my bottle of water and she gratefully took it. She was covered head to toe, even her eyes were hidden behind a pair of shades. She had to be burning up, but she never complained. I wasn't sure how she was still wearing that orange hoodie but I didn't say anything. Her appearance really bothered her, even if I didn't mind it. Plus, any time I could spend time with Yang was something to enjoy. It was why I finished any assignments for school as soon as I could, so I could have weekends free to spend in Patch.

Her house finally came back into view and I held back a sigh of relief. I spotted the one tree that sat a few feet from the house, a tire swing hanging from one of the sturdier limbs. Yes. Finally. Somewhere shady to sit.

Honestly, I hadn't been on a tire swing since I was really little, and gently swaying on one now brought back a few memories. Yang leaned back against the tree, watching me with this small smile on her face. The taller girl seemed content.

I reached forward and rubbed my leg, trying to gently work out some of the knots. Dr. Rose had told me I should be gentle. Guess I'd pushed myself harder than I thought.

"Does, um, does it hurt?"

Yang drew my attention back to her, as she so often did. "Only a little."

I could see her brow furrow behind the shades. She bit her lip, debating. "If you don't mind me asking, how exactly...?"

"The accident that killed my parents, the plane crash, I was there too." I inhaled through my nose. "I came out of the ordeal with a busted leg and a few other minor injuries. The doctors did a great job though. Now it only hurts during cold weather or storms."

The former fighter nodded slowly.

"They said I was lucky to have survived. At the time it didn't feel that way. My friend Ilia... She got me through some rough days. She saved me."

That small smile came back, but I also noticed one of her gloved fingers was tapping out a rhythm against her thigh. "Well, I'm glad she did, because I got to meet you." Her finger stopped tapping, and she turned sheepish. "I, wow. That was really corny."

I couldn't help but grin. It was actually kind of amazing how nervous she got. "I like corny."

Her face turned bright red as she managed to laugh.

Geez. I was in so much trouble.

* * *

Ilia's POV

Blake had been really... Giddy? No. That wasn't it. And the word happy wasn't quite right either. Whatever it was, it'd started right after I'd picked her up from that house in Patch. She'd been talking a lot about this new friend she'd made lately, and admittedly it had come as a bit of surprise seeing as Blake had always been one to keep to herself growing up.

I wasn't completely oblivious. Even a blind man could see that Blake was head over heels for this new mystery person. The way she talked about this Yang woman was so... smitten.

She'd only really dated a couple people in the past, before the accident. One had been a girl she'd known for a while, although the romantic aspect of their relationship ended in a mutual decision. The boy before that had been nice enough, a little jerky sometimes, but not a bad guy. Blake had been the one to break that one off.

I always got to meet these potential romantic candidates, which was why I was surprised when Blake seemed hesitant when I asked if I'd ever get to meet this new woman in her life. I didn't make a big deal out of it or anything but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little bit curious.

A few days after I'd posed the question Blake had asked me if I wanted to go with her that weekend. Which was how I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of her car, observing as her hands held the steering wheel in a white knuckled grip.

"You didn't have to bring me," I told her as she parked in the driveway of nice looking, two story cabin. "I get that you're taking things slow with this one."

Her honey colored eyes met my gray-ish blue. "It's not that exactly," she admitted. "Yang is... special. There's really no doubt in my mind that we could work out. It's just..."

"Just?"

She sighed. "Yang looks different. Really different."

I raised a brow. "You think I care what she looks like?"

She shook her head. "No, I just... wanted to prepare you, and ask that you try not to stare."

A frown pulled at the corners of my lips, suddenly even more curious and intrigued as I followed her out of the car. She walked passed the house and towards a large shed that sat off to the side, a black car sitting inside it. We walked in and I took in all the tool boxes and spare sparts that decorated every flat surface, along with tons of oily rags. Blake knelt down next to the car and that's when I noticed a set of jean clad legs sticking out from under the vehicle along with even more tools.

My friend spoke to the person under the car. There was a pause, before the person, who was revealed to be wearing a long sleeved, gray shirt, slowly rolled themselves out. They wiped their hands on a nearby rag as Blake said something else, nodding in my direction.

The person turned and I was met with a pair of crimson eyes. Their face, and also their hands from what I could see, were covered in nasty lacerations, scars, and what looked to be burns. I'm not too big of a person that I can't admit that this surprised me, and almost made me take a step back. But I stood my ground, and continued to observe.

Crimson orbs weren't as harsh as they looked at first glance. There was a gentleness there.

"Ilia, this is Yang. Yang, this is my best friend and adoptive sister Ilia."

I watched as the taller woman seemed to nervously wipe at her hands again before slowly holding one out for me to shake. "Nice to meet you."

Yang's voice was smooth, yet very obviously cautious, waiting. I took the outstretched hand, grinning. "Nice to meet you, too. I've heard so much about you."

This got an actual smile from her. "I could say the same."

It was interesting, watching the two of them interact. There was obvious flirting from both sides, and I could tell that they both noticed when it happened, whether it be because Yang blushed really hard or the way Blake bit her lip. There was an easy flow of conversation, which I somehow managed to fit in with very little trouble. Yang did her best to make sure I felt included, and I had to admit, watching and listening, it was easy to see how Blake had fallen for her.

It had been a while since I'd seen the ravenette smile like this.

* * *

Weiss's POV

Work was always a special kind of hell. Keeping up with business deals, policies, and kissing the asses of a bunch of men in expensive suits was certainly it's own version of torture on the worst of days. Having a father that enjoyed looking over my shoulder and correcting all of my numerous mistakes, no matter how small, was just the icing on the cake. These were the days that I was most tempted to take Sun's advice, of all people, and just tell everyone in that office to go screw themselves.

But I didn't. No matter the inconveniences, I loved my grandfather's company with everything I was.

Still, no matter how much I loved that company, I almost loved walking into the Rose - Xiao Long family home even more. It was just so much warmer than anything surrounding the rest of my own family. I huffed. If only there wasn't a whole stack of reports that needed revising and looking over while I visited. Ruby was going to kill me for bringing this much work over during movie night.

I heard the sound of an engine and turned from the front door of the cabin to see a black vehicle pulling into the driveway. I raised a brow as the one who stepped out of the car was the woman that had been spending the last couple months hanging around Yang. Blake, I think her name was.

It was hard not to notice the light that came back into the older woman's eyes every time this woman came around. I also didn't miss the thinly veiled anxiety, the way she tapped her fingers against her leg to a rhythm only she could hear. The woman made her nervous, made her uncertain, just as much as she made her smile. Fear kept the former blonde from making any kind of move.

Blake locked the car and started in my direction, offering me a small smile when she got close enough but I stepped in her way, raising my chin. She was taller than me, but I'd never let that sort of thing stop me before. "What are your intentions with Yang?" I'd also never been one to beat around the bush.

She seemed taken aback by the question. "Excuse me?"

"I believe you heard me."

Her head tilted to one side, brow raised. She seemed to weigh her words. "It's not just an infatuation, if that's what you're worried about," she finally settled on. "I'm not sure how to explain it honestly. She just... She's like some sort of magnet. And I'm, well, I'm hoping that she'd be willing to give us a shot."

It was more of an honest answer than I was expecting, frankly. "Yang is family. I don't want to see her hurt." Amber eyes stared evenly back at me. "If you start something, you should know that I won't let you just walk away and break her heart."

"I care about her. The last thing I wanna do is hurt her."

Hmph. "Then it seems we can agree on that." I turned back toward the door and made to enter. "That is all."

"Rough day at work?"

I paused.

"It's nice that you want to take care of Yang, but don't forget to take care of yourself," she continued. "Self care is pretty important."

I looked back over my shoulder at the other woman. She was just standing there, a small smile on her face, a peace offering. "I'll be sure to try and remember that," I said, before entering the cabin.

* * *

Yang's POV

It should have been a little bit of an adjustment adding Ilia and Blake to our traditional movie nights. It really should have. But as I glanced over at the ravenette curled up against my side and her best friend sitting between her and Sun, it felt like they'd both always been here. Ruby and Penny sat on my other side, Weiss sitting off the floor in the chair above them, tapping away on her laptop, occasionally glancing up at the TV. Nora lay with her head in Ren's lap, his arm around her waist. Jaune and Pyrrha sat next to each other on the other side of the couple.

I reached into the popcorn bowl only to frown when I realized it was picked over. Blake laughed and snuggled closer to me, and I regretfully stood, gesturing to the empty bowl when her expression turned questioning.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if everyone in that room knew how I felt about the other woman. I wasn't exactly trying to hide it. I tended to make a fool of myself anytime she walked into the room. It made it even harder for me to process the fact that she seemed to return my interest.

And there lied the problem.

"You know, your sister is just going to end up spilling all over the floor at the next jump scare."

Speak of the devil. I leaned against the counter, waiting for the bag in the microwave to pop. I looked over my shoulder at her, taking in her small smile and those kind amber colored eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Blake, I... What do you want to come out of this?"

Her brow furrowed. I'd be the first to admit that this question was abrupt, but it had been stirring in the back of my mind for the past couple months. "What do you mean?"

I took a deep breath, turning so that I was facing her, ignoring the microwave as it beeped. "I know what's been going on between us. I know that we've both been flirting." I was hesitant in voicing this outloud, afraid that she would deny it, or that whatever bubble we'd been in would pop. "But, I... I need to know what you want out of this. I'm not normal. I can't take you out on dates. I... I can't go out in public. All our interactions would be limited to here, in Patch."

Her head tilted to one side, and her eyes never left mine as she stepped closer to me until she had to look up at me. "So, you want to know where I want this to go?"

I started to nod but was cut off when her lips pressed against mine. I stiffened. Her eyes were closed, her lips really no more than a presence, waiting for a response. Which I hesitantly gave, gently pressing forward. It was gentle. The most chaste kiss in the history of ever but it made me smile nonetheless.

And just as quickly as it happened she stepped back, smiling up at me, eyes almost glowing. I also noticed that one of her hands now held mine. "Does that answer your question?"

"I... well... you..." Would I ever be able to not make a fool of myself in front of her? I wouldn't hold my breath.

She just laughed, and it made my lack of articulation worth it. "I can't say that I know where we'll end up, but I want to make this work."

She wanted to try. She wanted to give us a shot. The very idea of it made my stomach twist into knots and my already fast beating heart nearly leap out of my chest. "Ok."

Blake grinned, moving passed me and grabbing the popcorn out of the microwave and pouring it into the bowl. "Better get this back out there before the others start getting ideas." There was a teasing glint in her eyes, and I watched as she disappeared back into the living room.

Once she was gone I rubbed my face, but smiling all the same. I didn't know how long this would last, but I'd really be lying if I said I wasn't curious to find out.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Yang's POV

I sat quietly on the couch as Mom checked over Blake's leg. We'd gone hiking a lot this week and she had handled it pretty well. Or at least I thought she had. I should have known something wasn't right when she wore her knee brace today but on the way up the trail she hadn't shown any signs of discomfort until we were halfway back down. She'd slipped, falling on her rear but I'd managed to grab her so she wouldn't slide down any further. The ravenette had cursed and clutched her leg and I'd known something was wrong. I'd piggybacked her the rest of the way down.

Blake let out a hiss when Mom lifted her leg and I knew it was bad. Mom hummed in response. "You've officially overdid yourself," she finally announced. "Your knee is swelling. Yang, go get me a couple of ice packs."

I nodded and went over to the freezer, doing as she instructed before gently placing them on Blake's knee. She bit her lip and I winced a little. If I hadn't pushed her...

"The ice along with the injection I just gave her should be enough for now." Mom looked over at the brunette, raising a brow. "No more hiking until I say so. Unless, of course, you want another surgery."

"No, thank you. I've had enough of those."

Mom laughed before leaving, saying she had a late shift. I nodded and let her know Ruby would be sleeping over with Penny since Winter was in town and Weiss wanted to spend some time with her. Once she was gone I sat on the bed and held onto Blake's hand. It had become overly obvious that after the last movie night she wanted us to be more than friends, not that I didn't want that. I was just...hesitant.

"I told you we should've stayed home."

"I didn't want you stay cooped up in here more than usual." A pause. "But perhaps next time we can find something to do closer to your house."

I laughed. "Well I think it's safe to say that your last two weeks of vacation will be utterly boring."

"You don't bore me," she replied with a yawn.

I smiled and she tapped her lips twice, giving me a smirk. I sighed and leaned down, giving her a kiss. I tried to pull back but she wouldn't let me, her arms wrapped around my neck. Gently I unclasped her from me and gave her cheek another kiss.

"Easy there."

"You know sometimes you're no fun," she grumbled in response.

I laughed and we talked about how her new schedule would look when she started school in the Fall. She was going to start internship soon so the weekends would probably be the only time we'd be able to see each other. I watched as she grew more and more drowsy and I glanced at the clock, noting how late it was. Ilia would be worried if she didn't get home soon.

"Hey Mom, what exactly did you give Blake," I asked from the doorway, phone clutched next to my ear as I watched the raven haired girl fight off sleep.

"A sedative for the pain," she replied automatically.

"Will she be able to drive?"

"No. It'll make her drowsy." She paused. "Is there a problem? Would you like me to drop her off at home?"

"No," I answered quickly. "It's just...never mind. It's fine."

I let out a slow breath as I hung up, looked over at Blake. Her eyes were half closed and I could see her fighting to stay awake. I managed a smile before letting Ilia know that she'd be staying with me. She answered with a winky face which pulled an eye roll from me.

"Hey there, sleepy head," I said as I sat on the bed. "Looks like you'll be sleeping here tonight."

She hummed in response as she tapped the spot next to her. I hesitated. Blake shifted onto her side, half sleepy eyes looking up at me expectantly. Surrendering, I moved the ice packs so that they were still around her knee before covering her up. I lay down next to her and watched as she snuggled closer before her breathing slowed. Gently I wrapped an arm around her, watching as she slept before my own eyes began to close.

* * *

Ilia's POV

I sighed tiredly as I waited for Blake to come out of the library. It had been a long day at work and I just couldn't wait to grab some food and crash in my bed. I didn't have to wait too much longer before the dark haired woman opened the passenger door and slid inside. We shared a smile before driving to our favorite burger place. She was kind enough to remind me of that essay that was due in a couple days and I didn't even try to hold back the groan that pulled out of me. Sleep was no longer an option when we got back.

I was pulling out of our parking spot when there was the sound of metal meeting metal and our vehicle lurched forward a little. I braked, letting out a string of expletives as I looked over my shoulder to see a blonde exit her own car, making a face at the damage. I grumbled as I unbuckled myself before immediately looking over at Blake. Her eyes were wide, gaze straight ahead and a death grip on the handle of the door. She didn't seem to be breathing.

"Blake," I began gently, clasping her cold hand that was balled up into a fist in her lap. "We're okay. It was just a bump. We're outside our burger place, you're not alone."

I felt her begin to shake and I exited the car, holding my hand up when the idiot that hit me tried to approach. I opened the passenger door and unbuckled my friend, hugging her as I rubbed her back gently.

"You're okay, I'm right here," I tried soothing. "Breathe. Just breathe."

After a moment, a small sound passed her lips and she pulled away, still looking shaken but better than before. I told her I needed to talk to the owner of the other car and she nodded but I could see her tremble at the thought of me leaving her side. I exchanged insurance information either the woman who'd hit us as fast as possible before driving us home. Blake wasn't the same, didn't speak the rest of the way home and flinching every time she heard a loud noise. She'd been this way since the plane crash.

When we got home I tried to coax her to eat her food but she wouldn't touch it. I sighed in exasperation before leading her to her room and sitting down on the bed as she slid under the covers. I stayed with her, watching as she trembled. I sighed as I sat on the floor, opening my laptop.

 _Blake and I had been close friends only a short amount time before the crash. Our parents knew each other from their younger days so when no one stepped up to take her in we did. At first I tried to give her space, knowing that she was grieving. But as the weeks passed I could see her getting worse and worse. She wouldn't eat, hardly talked, and all she did was stay in bed. The doctors had said she had a chance of walking normally again but she had to go to physical therapy which she'd refused._

 _That's when I snapped._

 _I got home from school and tossed my backpack by the doorway as I usually did before heading towards the guest bedroom. My parents were both working and I knew Blake never moved from the bed. Sure enough when I came inside I found her there, staring at the opposite wall. I rolled up my sleeves before going over and pulling the sheets back, making her blink in surprise, the first emotion she had shown since the accident._

 _"Enough, Blake," I snapped as I hauled her over to the bathroom a few feet away. "I won't let you die. Not like this."_

 _She looked up at me, the black under her eyes disappearing slightly as her attention focused on me. I turned the cold water on, shuddering when it hit us._

 _"You parents died and I can only imagine how horrible you're feeling but you're alive, you can't just waste the opportunity you were given." I paused, watching as the younger girl shivered. "You have to snap out of it. You have to live. If not for them then for me."_

 _I felt my eyes tear up as I continued, my own repressed emotions coming out._

 _"You're my friend, you can't leave me alone. You can't."_

 _Tears welled up in her eyes and she let out the most broken sob I'd ever heard. She leaned against my shoulder, grasping my shirt as she cried. I hugged her tightly, letting her know I was there and I wasn't leaving. She would never be alone. I don't know how long we stayed that way but when she sneezed I turned the water off and laughed a little, and for the first time in what seemed forever she smiled, barely but it was there._

 _She'd smiled, and I knew things would be okay eventually._

* * *

Winter's POV

I gave my fellow soldiers a salute before heading towards the exiting gate at the airport, smiling when I spotted Weiss and Klein and straightening my posture. Weiss seemed to mirror the movement. Some things never changed. Our butler offered me a smile before taking my bag as my sister and I walked ahead in silence. They both knew that I wasn't very affectionate in public but I could also feel the nervousness coming off her. We hadn't seen each other in almost a year, the longest time we'd been away from each other.

When I'd decided to join the military, my father had been furious but Weiss had been oddly supportive. Until my departure day came that is. She'd hugged me, refusing to let me go. As gently as I could have I'd unclasped her from me, wiping her tears and reminding her I would be back soon. I wrote to her every chance I got but I knew how much she missed me. Living with my father was it's own form of hell. He may not be physically aggressive, but he had a way to make you feel as insignificant as a bug.

"How's the company doing?"

"We've been expanding. Menagerie is finally willing to negotiate."

I hummed as we got into the car. "Why the change of mind?"

She shrugged, but I could see a small smirk on her face. "I offered them a better deal than father, was actually willing to compromise."

I fought off my own matching grin. "Well done."

Once we arrived home I grabbed my bag, letting Weiss lead when I saw my father coming down the steps. We stopped and I saw a look of panic on my sister's face. Since I'd made my decision to leave, Father and I hadn't spoken a word to each other and everyone could feel the tension. I met his gaze head on before he simply scoffed and continued down, heading toward the car port we'd just come from. Weiss let out a deep sigh.

"You can have my room. I hardly sleep here any-"

"Weiss," I interrupted. She bit her lip and looked up at me, suddenly nervous again as her wide eyes looked at me expectantly, like she thought she'd done something wrong. It made me more irritated with our father, to be completely honest. "Enough with the formalities. Aren't you going to give your sister a hug?"

And just like that, the tension melted from her body and she nodded, wrapping her arms around me as I did the same. I gave the top of her head a kiss and tightened my hold. She was the reason I would come back home no matter what hell I was sent to. Weiss needed me. And I needed her.

* * *

Blake's POV

I looked up from my laptop to see Yang working under her latest project, one she seemed to be having a bit of a tricky time with. Coming over had become more than a habit. Ilia teased me to no end, saying she had never seen me this way and as much as I hated to admit it, she was right. I had never felt the way I did about Yang before. She gave me a comfort that only my surrogate sister had managed to give me. And that scared me. There were things she didn't know about me that I knew would be difficult for me to explain. My panic attacks were rare but when they happened I turned into another person and I was afraid of what would happen if she ever found out. Yang already had so much to deal with already...

"You're staring."

I blinked in surprise. How did she... "Am not."

"Oh yeah?" the mechanic asked as she rolled away from the car. "I can feel you burning holes into the car and hear the gears turning in your mind from here. What's up?"

"Nothing."

"Whatever it is, I can take it."

Maybe someday, I thought. Not today. "...I'm just wondering what happened to you."

She hummed in response, standing up. "Ah. I was wondering when you'd ask." I closed my laptop. giving her my full attention but suddenly she wouldn't look at me, cleaning off the oil from her hands. "Would you believe me if I told you a witch cast a spell on me?"

I laughed. "You're kidding, right?" She didn't reply and I furrowed my brow. Was she serious? "Seriously?"

"For whatever reason I can't say who but yes. That's what happened. One moment I was me, lavender eyes and long blond hair, the next, I was just... this."

I opened my mouth but closed it. What could I say to that? When I didn't say anything she spoke once more. "Well, one good thing about being a bald disaster is that I don't have to worry about tying my hair up," she stated with a grin.

"I wish you wouldn't do that."

Yang blinked. "Do what?"

I stood and walked over to her, cupping her cheek in my hand. "Talk about yourself like that."

She looked down and crossed her arms. "Heh. Well if you can't make jokes at your expense then you shouldn't make jokes," she answered evenly, quietly.

I sighed but shook my head, once again taking the seat I had vacated. She joined me and I rubbed my knee, trying to get rid of the discomfort. I'd been wearing my brace but it seemed like it still hadn't quite healed from our last hiking trip. Yang looked over my shoulder at the essay on my laptop, asking what it was about. I answered of course, and she nodded.

I looked at her, watched as she read over a little of what I'd written. "You know... a degree in mechanical engineering will require you to go to the campus eventually," I began gently.

She shifted, not looking away from the screen but her eyes were no longer reading. "I know."

"What are you going to do then?" Yang didn't say anything, her hands tapping away at her knee. Her silence was enough to confirm what I'd already suspected. "You didn't plan on continuing passed this second year, did you?" I asked.

She sighed and shook her head, looking more reluctant to talk about this as the seconds ticked by. "I don't know," the former fighter admitted. "I had planned to leave Patch at the end of this school year but..."

"But what?"

"You happened," Yang replied, her gaze finally meeting mine. "You...you have changed everything. I just...I don't know." She sighed. "I just know that when I'm with you...I feel like I can take anything...I don't feel so...ugly."

One hand reached up and cupped her cheek again. "That's because you're not."

She managed a small smile which I returned, pulling her towards me as I rubbed gentle circles on her back, her face pressed against my neck. I didn't know if she believed me. I didn't know if she ever really would. But I'd keep telling her anyway, because it was the truth. And she deserved to hear that everyday.

* * *

Raven's POV

I revved up the engine of my bike as I slid between the cars in front of me. It had been months since I had been in Vale but a contact had told me about this underground fighting gig, and I'd decided that I'd been away long enough. Of course, I'd have to be extra careful. A lot of my crew were in tricky spots with the law and I didn't need the police crawling up my ass.

I pulled up at my favorite bar, parking my bike and turning off the engine. I went straight to the bartender, asking for my usual as I scanned the place, feeling myself smirk when I spotted the most familiar of drunks. Looked like today was my lucky day. I threw back my drink and asked for two more, heading over to the only other pair of blood red eyes in the room.

"Hello, little brother," I greeted, sitting down across from him and offering him one of the drinks.

He scoffed but took it anyways. "Raven."

I sighed dramatically as I leaned back. "Still drinking your life away. Some things never change."

"And you're still pretending you don't have a daughter," Qrow answered without missing a beat, taking a sip of his drink. I let out an irritated sigh. Looked like I was about to get lectured. Again. "Guess we're both a disappointment."

I hummed. "Must run in the family."

"You don't get to talk about Yang that way," he said as he straightened, his anger making his eyes look darker than they actually were.

I took a sip of my drink, unperturbed. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to. Now how can I get you out of my face?"

My lips twitched as I traced the top of the glass in front of me before I met his gaze. "Tell me about The Dragon."


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review! Also, because I have work and BG-13 has school, we decided to stick to one story so all our other stories are on hold right now.**_

* * *

Glynda's POV

Keeping an eye on the former blonde for the last year and a half had been simple enough, if not a little sad. This girl had given up before the enchantment had even come into play, and for the months that followed, a deep depression had taken root in her heart. It hurt to watch, if I was being completely honest. I took no joy from watching this play out.

But then, five months ago, something interesting had happened. The brunette had stumbled into the fighter's life and had pushed her way in without much of a fight. I'd almost call it fate, if I believed in that.

"Wasn't I supposed to leave you behind when I left school?" she finally said, one hand reaching for a wrench before disappearing underneath the hood of the car.

"I thought I'd drop by and see how things were going."

She let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "Waiting for you to take back this curse."

"You're the one that will break the spell when you find it in yourself to love," I answered as I approached her, repeating the words I'd told her all that time ago.

The former blonde stopped her work and turned to look at me. Her eyes showed her irritation. "No one in their right mind would fall in love with this."

I shook my head, holding back a disappointed sigh. She still didn't get it. "If that's the way you see things, then you might as well give up now." I paused. "Are you telling me you don't think Miss Belladonna could love you?"

Her crimson eyes narrowed. "You're spying on me?"

I waved my hand dismissively. "Keeping tabs. How else am I to know when to lift the curse?" I raised a brow at her and her irritation relented somewhat. I turned to leave with a shake of my head. "You have eight months remaining."

"I know."

* * *

Yang's POV

I sidestepped to the side, dodging a blow before landing a uppercut that toppled my opponent to the ground. I kept my hands up, right around my jaw like uncle Qrow had taught me. I needed to blow off some steam, and this lightweight wasn't seeming to be enough.

Glynda had dropped by yesterday, seemingly only to remind me of how much time I had left before my appearance became permanent. Like I really needed the reminder. Did she think I'd forget something like that? So, I'd called Junior to have him find me a fight, forgetting that Blake was supposed to come over until she'd literally walked in the door.

I'd been ready to leave when she walked in. She'd told me that her internship was closer to Patch than she'd originally thought, that she'd be dropping by every Friday once she got out. If I didn't mind, of course. She'd had this big smile on her face when she'd told me, she'd been so happy to have that extra day. That smile twisted my stomach into knots. Of course I didn't mind. It was Blake.

She was exhausted though, and almost immediately curled up on the couch. I looked over at the clock on the wall, biting my lip before shaking my head and offering up a smile of my own and a movie. We were halfway through said movie when my girlfriend fell asleep, her head resting on my lap.

With a heavy sigh I managed to wiggle out from under her, tucking a stray lock of midnight hair behind her hair and gave her temple a kiss, covering her up with the blanket. And just like that I was out the door. I didn't want to. I really didn't. Blake made me feel...different. I didn't know how to explain it. But I'd already missed a lot of fights during break and I knew Junior would be ticked if I missed this one, even if I was already late.

Blake didn't know about the fights like Mom did, but I knew it was only a matter of time. She was a lighter sleeper than even me. It was a miracle she hadn't woken up when I'd left. She must have really been tired. Usually, if she was awake whenever I came back from a fight I'd tell her I went out for a jog which she easily believed. I knew the woods around here like the back of my hand, even in the dark navigating really wasn't an issue. As long as I didn't have any bruises on my face, that would be enough of an explanation. For now.

My opponent stood again, throwing shots that I easily dodged. He was shaky and I couldn't exactly blame him. I was surprised he even got up after that last hit. He grunted as I kicked his side and quickly stepped back, ready to finish this.

And then I saw her amongst all the yelling patrons.

Raven. Here.

And that moment of hesitation was all my opponent needed to land a solid punch to my face. I hit the floor, shaking my head managing to get back on my feet before he could land another blow. My lip stung when I licked it, and I forced myself not to seek that woman out in the crowd, finishing the fight as quickly as I could. I got him back on the ground, climbed on top and punched him in the face once - twice - three times before he finally tapped out.

Junior helped me stand, raising my arm to declare me the winner as the crowd cheered. I tried to avoid looking in Raven's direction but my my eyes ended up seeking her out anyway. She was still there, smirking as she clapped and the next two fighters were announced.

I speed walked into the locker room, grabbing my stuff as quickly as I could, wiping my face with a towel, and collecting my money before finally being allowed to leave. I'd started toward the door when I heard heavy boots behind me. I could feel every muscle in my body tensing, begging me to bolt.

"What do you want?" I finally asked, looking over my shoulder at the woman who'd abandoned me more than once.

Raven's smile widened slightly around her cigarette. "To talk. We have a lot of catching up to do."

I swallowed thickly. I knew I shouldn't. Knew that if she was interested in me it was because she wanted something. I knew this. It was how this always went. And she always left without answering any question I had, without even so much as a goodbye. I should've just walked away. I should've told her I wasn't interested. But that was a lie, wasn't it? Those questions still burned in the back of my skull. Why did you leave? Why did you keep me? Why wasn't I good enough?

"What do you want from me?"

Raven smiled, pulling the lit stick from her mouth and blowing out smoke. "What every mother wants, the success of their children." She wrapped an arm around me as if this was the most natural thing in the world, despite this being the first time we'd been this close or that she'd shown me any kind of affection. I couldn't help the shudder that went down my spine. I hated how much this affected me. "You're a very talented fighter. You have the potential to become something greater than just the Dragon. I'm just here to help the process along."

That warning was going off in my mind again. Leave. Don't trust her. She's just using you. I sucked in a sharp breath as I realized my eyes were starting to sting a little bit, that I could feel tears building up there. She was just using me. She wasn't my real mom and she never would be. Yet, I didn't have to fortitude to stop her.

"What do you need me to do?" I asked, ignoring every sensible instinct I had, every misgiving that made my chest constrict.

Her grin widened. "That's my girl."

* * *

Blake's POV

It was the sound of Yang's bedroom door that startled me awake, and I watched as she slipped in, throwing her duffle bag on the floor with a heavy sigh. She probably hadn't realized I was there yet, and I couldn't blame her. I'd been asleep on the couch when she'd left and had moved to her room when I'd woken up and noticed she was gone only to see that her bed was empty as well. This wasn't the first time I'd woken up alone here, but it was the first since my panic attack, and I really wanted Yang here with me.

I looked over at the alarm clock on her night stand. Four in the morning. My brow furrowed. "Where do you go all the time?"

I saw her jump a little and I turned on the lamp so we weren't just sitting in the dark. "Blake? I didn't expect to see you...here."

Again, not surprising since I did usually sleep in the guest room and Yang would sometimes join me in there. "I'm sorry. I woke up and you weren't-" I stopped, noticing for the first time that she was injured. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing," she replied quickly.

"That's not nothing."

I stood and walked out and into the bathroom, grabbing the first aid kit that I knew they kept there. This wasn't the first time I'd had to patch her up a little after all. I came back to find her sitting on the bed, looking absorbed in her thoughts. I dabbed a cotton-ball in alcohol before pressing it gently against the cut. She flinched and pulled away but one look from me and she sighed before holding still. When I finished I threw away what I used and took her hand in mine.

"Whatever it is, you can tell me. Please?"

Yang sighed, using her free hand to wipe tiredly at her face. "I fight in underground matches," she admittedly quietly, not bothering to beat around the bush. "I've been doing it since the Incident. I usually don't go on weekends because you're here but I just...I needed to go today. I'm sorry I left you alone."

She wouldn't look at me, but her thumb was tracing a pattern on the back of my hand. She was trying her best to comfort me, to ease any distress this news might have caused. There was definitely a little concerning. I'd known Yang had a passion for fighting in tournaments, she'd even talked about how her dad had taught her, how it was something they'd bonded over. But...I'd thought with her aversion to being seen, that that had stopped a while ago.

"I don't like it. I don't like that you put yourself in a potentially dangerous position." I paused watching as she shut her eyes, waiting and accepting that I wasn't pleased, so I lifted her chin so she could look at me. "But there's nothing I can do to stop you. If that's something you want to do then, do it. All I ask is that you promise to be careful and not to get hurt. Please, promise me that."

Crimson eyes softened, and the way she looked at me was something I wasn't sure I'd ever tire of. There was so much emotion in her eyes. It made me want to kiss her. I had to settle for kissing her cheek so that I wouldn't upset her lip. She suddenly grinned, and I was pulled onto the bed with an undignified squeal leaving my lips. I could feel her laughing as she curled herself against my back and covered us with the comforter, whispering a 'I promise' against my neck.

"Did Ilia ever tell you, you snore a little?" she asked after a moment.

"I do not!"

Yang chuckled. "Yes you do. Just a little."

"... Okay, fine, only when I'm really tired."

"Then you've been really tired a lot these last couple of days," Yang answered smugly.

I sighed and pulled away. "...I have a hard time sleeping alone. Illia's been working late shifts or going out."

"Mmm. Let's take a nap then. I like it when you snore. It's kinda cute."

I huffed in response. "Don't change the subject."

Yang hummed and kissed my temple as she pulled me close to me. "Let's rest. Please?"

I sighed but nodded, smiling as she buried her face against my shoulder, her hands clasped at my stomach. I sat my hand on top of hers, enjoying the warmth that seep from her to me. Soon, soft snores sounded from behind me and I grinned. I hadn't been the only one tired, it seemed.

* * *

Ilia's POV

I watched Blake as she typed away at her laptop, on a mission to get all the assignments done before Halloween. It was Ruby's birthday and Yang had asked for help in having a small celebration for her. Halloween wasn't for another two weeks but Blake always liked to be ahead in her work.

I sighed and went to my room, Mom continuing to chat away. My parents called every week to see how we were doing. I always assured them we were both doing fine and in return asked how things were at home. I knew they missed me and worried about Blake so I always did my best to put them at ease.

"Mom and Dad want to speak to you," I told her as I went back to the kitchen.

She sighed but closed her laptop to give them her full attention. I knew they had mentioned her panic attack when she glared at me but I simply shrugged. Before coming over here she had frequent episodes that she slowly was able to manage with the aid of medication. When they almost went completely away she stopped taking them and refused to bring them to school, something we had all been against.

"No, I don't need them, I'm fine. It's only happened once." A sigh. "Yes, I'll go see a doctor if they get worse."

When she blushed, however, I knew they had changed the subject. I snickered and Blake tossed a cushion at me. My parents were very supportive of both our perspective interests. She'd told them a thing or two about Yang, enough that they'd figured they were going steady and that they were happy.

"You know, you should consider getting that prescription filled," I commented as she opened her laptop once more after hanging up and handing the phone back to me.

She let out an irritated sigh. "I don't need it, and it makes me drowsy."

I placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt down next to her. "I'm not always going to be there when it happens." She flinched and I squeezed her shoulder. "What about Yang? Have you told her?"

Blake shook her head. "No, not yet." She paused and sighed again. "I just...I want to keep this to myself a little longer. I know I have to tell her I'm just...I'm not ready yet."

"Yang seems to be pretty observant," I pressed gently. "She's not going to leave you when you tell her."

"I know," my little sister answered. "But she already has so much on her plate I don't want to be a burden. I'm already a burden to you-"

"Let me stop you right there. You are not a burden to me, you're family." I paused waiting for the words to sink in. "And I'm sure you're not a burden to Yang. The anniversary is coming up..." She flinched. "You have to tell her."

"I know," Blake whispered. "I will."

I studied her for a long moment, but nodded. I couldn't make her do it, and it wasn't my place to tell Yang the full story. I just hoped Blake would tell her before it happened again.

* * *

Ruby's POV

Was there really any better way to wake up on one's birthday than to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes?

The answer was obviously no. No, there was not.

As expected, Mom and Yang were in the kitchen making those fluffy confections as was tradition. I grinned at my sister when she spotted me and released a fond sigh as she held out the leftover chocolate chips and I poured half of it in the batter. The other half would be saved for later, as an extra Birthday-ween treat. I received a quick kiss on the top of my head as Mom walked by to get something out of the fridge.

Around lunch time Mom ordered pizza for the party tonight. Aside from Penny, I didn't have many friends of my own at school. But of course Weiss, Jaune, Nora, Ren, Pyrrha, Sun, and Neptune were like this crazy extended family, and they would obviously be joining in on the festivities. Winter was in town, so she'd be coming. Uncle Qrow would be there too, no doubt flirting with Winter.

Yang and I had just finished setting up when Mom got a emergency call from work. She tried to find another replacement to take her place but with little success. She looked so apologetic but I assured her I would be fine. I could tell she felt bad about it, but there was really nothing to be done. I finally talked her into leaving and my sister called her girlfriend to ask her to bring the cake over. Penny arrived at 3 o'clock on the dot just like the invitation had said.

People started to arrive, and we all gathered in the living room, pizza on the coffee table and all my friends scattered around. Qrow was one of the last to arrive and ruffled my hair, wishing me a happy birthday. Winter followed him in and also ruffled my hair, nodding at Yang as she sat down next to her sister. I wasn't really surprised that she didn't ask what had happened to Yang. Winter had always been one that didn't ask for information unless someone offered to tell her. She also didn't share information unless someone asked and she deemed it ok to tell. It was just how she operated. Of course, she was no doubt curious, but she understood privacy better than most.

I may have been turning seventeen, but that didn't mean I didn't enjoy a good, competitive board game followed by thick slices of chocolate cake and presents. Hey, I'm a simple girl with simple tastes.

As usual, time flew by way too fast and everyone started heading home. Even Blake, who usually stayed over on the weekends, decided to leave with Ilia. Though, not without having my sister walking her out and giving her a goodnight kiss.

"Looks like it's just the two of us," Yang commented as we cleaned up the place.

"It was fun while it lasted," I answered.

When everything was done I let myself drop onto the couch, feeling beyond tired. Yang ruffled my hair and I sighed in exasperation. Why did everyone have to do that? Was there a memo I missed? However, before I could say anything she tossed a remote control at me.

"Ready to lose, sis?" Yang asked with a wink sitting down on the floor.

I scoffed, sitting up and nudging her with my foot. "In your dreams!"

She laughed at my challenge, and I stuck my tongue out in concentration as my ninja fought hers. For the first time in a long time, it felt like old times, and that was the best gift ever.

* * *

Yang's POV

I took in a deep, steadying breath as I hung up the strands of lights out back. Blake and I had been together for about five months. Five months that we had spent cooped up in the safety of Patch. I knew she didn't mind, knew that she was happy as long as we had time to spend together. But I also knew it wasn't fair to her. It wasn't fair that she had to hide in the shadows because of me. I'd thought about going out with her but I just...I couldn't. Not yet. So I'd decided to fix up the backyard so we could have a nice dinner. It was the least I could do.

The last couple of nights I had spent training with Raven, which had its perks but also its downfalls. No one could deny where I got my tenacity, even if my dad had been quite the martial artist. The training she would put me through was relatively brutal but I could feel myself getting faster and stronger. I just hated leaving Blake alone on the nights she slept over.

"What are you still doing here?" I heard Weiss say. "Go get ready. Ruby and I will finish here."

I sighed and nodded, heading in the house and to the bathroom to shower and do as I was told. I took a moment to breath as the water hit my back, trying to calm myself down. It was ridiculous. Blake and I'd had a handful of dinners before. Except that wasn't what was bothering me. For the first time I would let her see the scars that lay hidden beneath the layers of clothing. If be wearing a dress and I was scared. I knew, in reality, that Blake would never judge me for it. She'd seen my face, my hands, she knew. But there was something different, something more terrifying about letting her see so much more.

Mustering up all my courage, I turned off the water and dried myself off before opening the white box on my bed, causing me to smile. I was just pulling up the zipper when the door opened.

"Still not ready?"

I smiled and nodded, putting on the heels that had been packed with the dress. It felt weird, putting something so fancy after all this time. "Almost."

Weiss paused, looking me over before a small smile spread across her face. Her blue eyes were shining with emotions I hadn't actually seen directed at me for a long time. She looked proud, and happy, and hopeful for me. Sometimes it was so hard to forget that she'd been my friend for almost as long as either of us cared to remember. "There's the Yang I know."

I smiled and bit my lip. "Weiss, I really... I really appreciate you doing this for me. I know I've been really difficult-"

She held her hand up. "Let me stop you. The only thanks I need is for you to have a good time with Blake tonight."

I nodded. "Right.

She straightened out the dress a little, getting the invisible wrinkles out and giving me yet another once over, muttering to herself. "You know," she started, loud enough so that I could hear. "It's really nice to see you like this," she admitted.

I laughed and raised a brow, feeling a little mischievous. "Don't get any ideas, Schnee. I'm seeing someone."

Weiss rolled her eyes in response, huffing indignantly even though her blue eyes glinted with mirth. "Forget I said anything. You're insufferable."

"I know," I agreed before pulling her into a hug, which she easily relented to and even returned. "Thank you. I mean it."

"Don't mention it."

I manage another smile before grabbing my hooded jacket, earning a look from the youngest Schnee as I left the safety of my room. My phone vibrated and I let out a deep breath through my nose as Ilia let me know she had just dropped off Blake. Ruby had contacted her to let her know what I had been planning to make sure my girlfriend was dressed for the occasion. My little sister zoomed past me and towards the door as I headed towards the back, trying to calm my nerves.

"Yang?" I heard a call down the hall. "Yang-" She stopped as she came out onto the back deck, her attention on the various decorations. I swallowed thickly, noticing how beautiful she looked in the black dress. "Yang, what are you -"

"I hate that I can't take you on a real date," I replied, interrupting her. "I can't, looking like this, just take you to a restaurant. I'd love to take you dancing or a movie or something as public and cliche as that but I can't. But... well, I can do this much."

I gestured to the lights strung up in the branches and a few electric candles situated strategically on the ground and railing of the porch. This was the least I could do. She deserved so much.

"You didn't have to do all this."

I managed a smile. "I wanted to." I closed my eyes, before starting to unzip my jacket revealing a simple light yellow dress together with my scars and burns are my arms and on my legs.

"Yang, you can wear the jacket if you want," Blake said gently.

I shook my head, resolute as I opened my eyes to look at her, to really take in those stunning ember colored eyes, those long ebony locks, and that reassuring smile that was currently directed at me, like I was the only person in the world. "No, it's ok. I'm ok."

She smiled and took her hand in mine, leading her to the table set up under the tree, surrounded by those strands of star like lights. We ate, talked, laughed. I wouldn't have minded staying in that moment forever as all my anxiety melted away so effortlessly as the night wore on. If it hadn't been for the slight chill in the air we would have stayed there forever, but all moments must end eventually.

I led her back to my room, handing her some spare pajamas as I changed. We both lay there in bed, smiling still, holding each other, just enjoying the night for what it was.

Perfect.


	8. Chapter 8

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Summer's POV

I raced home as soon as my shift was over, hoping Yang and Ruby had remembered to defrost the turkey. The hospital was usually busy during the holidays but it was my turn to take the day off. It was the first time in a while that we'd have a guest with us and I knew how much that made my little sun dragon happy. Ilia had gone to Menagerie to visit her parents but Blake had opted to stay. I imagined that after the plane crash she'd had as a teen she was more than weary of flying.

After a three hour power-nap I was up and in the kitchen, getting everything ready. Yang and Blake cut the vegetables while Ruby took care of the sweets. I shook my head, wondering how much of the cookie dough would actually be used with her sweet tooth. When I finished stuffing the turkey I set it in the oven, preparing the table with my youngest. I looked over at the living room to find Yang sitting down, flipping through the channels as Blake's head rested in her lap, looking to be sound asleep. I frowned, noting the oddity of Blake sleeping during the day.

Two movies and three rounds of video games later, dinner was finally ready. It was a good thing too as I could hear everyone's stomach growling. Blake talked about her internship and how she was enjoying working with teens that had experienced trauma. Ruby proudly announced that she had received the best grade on a paper of the human body. Yang remained mostly quiet until I asked her about her latest project which resulted in a huff of frustration as she explained that she had rebuilt the engine twice and the car still wasn't working.

After dessert the food coma set in and the girls started toward their respective rooms. Well for the most part. I was more than aware that Blake entered Yang's room. When I finished cleaning the dishes I went to check up on my youngest, letting out a laugh when I saw her sprawled haphazardly over her bed. I shook my head and covered her up before going to my little mechanic's room. I knocked twice, opening the door to see Blake sound asleep. I frowned and went out back, finding Yang.

She seemed pensive, not looking at anything in particular as she sat on the bench. I went over and sat next to her, setting a hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze before I leaned back, admiring the clear sky and the stars in the sky. The silence only lasted a moment before she spoke.

"Raven's back," she commented quietly. I turned over to look at her, surprised. "And I've been hanging out with her."

"The fights," I answered, connecting the dots. For some time now I've noticed her sneaking out more often. I'd honestly thought that with Blake around she'd have cut down on that particular activity. "She's using you."

Yang looked away, her fists clenching in her lap. Of course she knew that. My daughter was a very intelligent young woman.

"Yang-"

"You're my mom. You always will be," she answered, gently as she finally looked at me. "But I have questions that only she can answer."

"My little dragon, you know I have done everything I can to support you. You are my daughter, and I love you. But Raven-"

She stood, fisted hands stuffing themselves in her pockets. "I just thought you should know she's back. I won't stop seeing her."

I felt my chest tighten, already seeing the pain this would cause her down the road. Raven was a subject we never really talked about. Honestly, there had been times in the past when Raven had been in town and I hadn't told Yang, though she'd found out anyway. Raven always made herself known to Yang. It was almost like she got some sick thrill out of letting her down. It was hard to reconcile this Raven with the one I'd known as teenagers...

"Please," I began, looking up and into those red eyes that were now so similar yet so different from the darker haired woman's. "Just... be careful."

Yang's expression was so soft and so fragile looking at my plea as nodded as she headed back into the house. I rubbed my face tiredly with my hands, inhaling, holding it, then letting it go. Oh, Yang.

* * *

Qrow's POV

I loosened my tie as I waited for my drink. It was Friday night and school had been out for a couple of hours. The diner was nothing fancy but had good food and most importantly, good drinks. It was one of my favorites places and the person I was waiting for enjoyed it as well. I'd gone to play video games with my niece, Ruby, after school was out knowing Summer was probably still at work. We'd only played for an hour when she'd arrived and I couldn't really complain. Date night was important.

The waitress winked at me and I sighed internally, glancing at the clock. I smiled, looked like I had some time to waste. A moment later the same waitress came over, leaning down to expose a glimpse down her shirt. I ordered my drink, sitting back. She went over to the table at the edge of the diner to take their order before coming back to me. I tasted the drink and hummed in response. She'd given me top shelf.

"What's a guy like you doing here all alone?"

I let out a small laugh. "Just enjoying myself."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, leaning closer. "Need any company. My shift is almost over."

The door to the diner opened and I grinned when I saw my date walk in, heading towards me. I leaned forward, gaze focused on the waitress.

"Maybe I'd take that offer," I replied. "If I didn't already belong to the Sergeant."

She blinked and looked behind her to find Winter, standing straight and looking unamused. The waitress stuttered as she welcomed her and subsequently excused herself. I chuckled and my girlfriend simply shook her head.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she spits in our food," the white haired woman muttered.

I nodded and threw the drink back. "You're right, let's get out of here."

Winter rolled her eyes but followed me as I left a bill on the table, grabbing onto my arm and glancing towards the waitress that quickly lowered her gaze. I laughed, shaking my head. I had to admit that I loved it when she became possessive over me. Once we were outside I wrapped an arm around her and gave her cheek a kiss, watching as she smiled.

We went for a walk on the park as she told me about her deployment, assuring me that she wouldn't be gone for so long this time. I knew she worried about her younger sister, Weiss, but I assured her the kid would be fine. My nieces had basically adopted her into their family so she wouldn't be alone.

I drove her home after and we stayed in my car for some time, enjoying the night. I gave her forehead a kiss after a moment before walking her to the gate of her father's home, reminding her she could stay with me if she wanted to.

"I don't want to leave Weiss alone," she replied. "I'll see you tomorrow for lunch."

I sighed and nodded, stealing a kiss which earned me a smack from her. I simply laughed and she glared at me as I walked back towards my car.

"Qrow?"

"Mm?" I hummed, stopping to look at her.

"I love you."

I didn't bother to stop the goofy grin. "Me too."

* * *

Ilia's POV

I should've known better. I should have been paying closer attention. But even with all my insider knowledge, I'd somehow been blindsided by this.

It was the anniversary.

I'd come home from work Monday only to find the apartment completely quiet, with Blake's shoes tossed haphazardly on the floor and her book bag sitting forgotten in the hall. The alarm bells had gone off in my head immediately as I'd dropped my own bag and half jogged to Blake's room in our dorm.

She lay under the covers on her bed, obscured from head to toe. I pulled the blankets off, revealing the younger woman curled up in ball, eyes red and wet from crying. Half of me sighed in relief.

I hadn't slept in three days, since I'd found her like that. Blake wouldn't eat or drink, barely slept. She outright refused to. The last couple years I'd learned that it only lasted about a week, but we'd had so many close calls. Last year she'd nearly collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital.

I'd managed to get her to drink something earlier, mostly because I'd forced her to. I wasn't doing so hot myself, becoming more tired by the minute. I couldn't leave her alone, just in case...

She'd never intentionally harmed herself in the past. But there was always that niggling thought in the back of my head. What if she did? What if the pain became too much? People in this kind of depression were sometimes so unpredictable. I bit at my nail. I couldn't do this by myself.

Leaving the room, but keeping Blake within my line of sight, I dialed the only person I could think of. The only one I honestly thought would have some chance of getting through.

"Ilia?"

"Yang, hey, listen. You need to come over."

"What happened?"

I heard someone else's voice distantly on the receiver. "It's Blake."

There was no hesitation. "Text me the address."

* * *

Yang's POV

My body protested with the slightest movement, no doubt just the build up for the bruise that would blossom across my ribs later. I was lucky the guy hadn't fractured something. I'd have to ice that, along with my jaw when I got home.

I absently checked my phone for any missed calls, already knowing that was pointless.

Blake wasn't talking to me. Mom was upset with me. And Ruby was already asleep, oblivious to it all.

"You were distracted out there."

Raven's voice cut through the silence of the locker room, and I forced myself to turn my body so I could look at her, holding back a hiss from the pain.

"I know."

"You'll have to do better next time."

"I know." I didn't have the energy or the want to defend myself. She was right. The fight had been sorry, and I'd barely managed to pull myself together.

Raven huffed, clearly a little miffed at the almost loss, as she dug into her jacket pocket and pulled out her cigarettes and one of the many lighters I'd seen on her.

I watched as she lit the stick, took a deep breath and exhaled, shoulders sagging ever so slightly. Honestly it was the most relaxed I'd ever seen her, when she smoked.

I held out my hand expectantly. "Give me one of those," I demanded evenly.

One of those familiar red eyes glanced at me, staring hard at me in what I could almost mistake for hesitation if I didn't know better. But it lasted less than a second as she dug one out of the carton and tossed me her lighter. I caught it easily as Raven turned to leave, muttering something about having a bunch more at home.

She left, and I sat there, now with a cigarette firmly gripped in my mouth. I flicked the switch on the little orange lighter with purple accents, watching the flame pop out. Then I let it die. I flicked it on and off, on and off, until I finally sighed, stuffing the lighter in my sweats pocket and gathering my stuff.

When I made it home I wanted nothing more than to collapse. Sleep sounded so good right about now. But with a heavy trudge I made my way to the bathroom to shower and change into a different pair of sweats and a long sleeved orange tee. I plopped onto the couch with a relieved and heavy sigh once I'd grabbed an ice pack from the freezer. My eyes closed momentarily, only to open when the front door opened.

I leaned forward in my seat and watched as Mom walked in, shoulders sagged as she set her purse and other effects on the table next to the door. She looked as tired as I felt, and for a moment she leaned back against the door. She scratched her head as she kicked off her shoes, sighing in relief. And then her gaze finally landed on me, and silver eyes flickered in surprise before they seemed to zero in on something.

Besides the ice pack, I was reminded of the now wet cigarette that still hung from my lips.

There was silence between us. I waited to see what Mom would do, how disappointed she'd be. She had to be. Not only was I obviously injured from a hobby that she didn't approve of but I had an actual cigarette in my mouth.

But, the only reaction I got was the softening of her eyes as she slowly walked forward until she stood directly in front of where I sat and gently took the useless tobacco stick from me and sat it on the coffee table before pulling me into a hug.

My eyes stung as I nuzzled into her stomach, her hands rubbing comfortingly at my back as I gripped at her shirt. She didn't say a word, and I wasn't sure if that made it worse or not. But then Mom started humming and for a moment, yes, it did feel a little better.

But the moment ended when my cell started ringing, and I had to reluctantly pull away. "Ilia?" I listened, and at the mention of Blake I stood as Mom asked what was wrong. I put my boots back on and told Ilia I'd be on my way as soon as she sent the address.

"Yang?"

"It's Blake," I answered, pulling on a hoodie and grabbing my bike keys. "She needs me. I'll call you with an update later." And just like that I was out the door and off to the city. Ilia let me into their dorm, looking exhausted as she led me back to Blake's room.

"Blake?" I called as I entered, finding her on the bed with her back to the door. She didn't answer and I sighed as I sat down beside her on the bed, gently grabbing one of her hands and giving it a squeeze. I'd never seen her like this before, and it broke my heart.

There's a little bit of reassurance when she squeezed back, however.

* * *

Blake's POV

It was as if time had slowed, or was nonexistent. I knew Ilia was with me for a time. I knew that. I just didn't know for long. Periodically I could feel her run a hand through my hair, but unlike other times the sensation didn't feel soothing at all. I also knew she was talking but the words were lost to the static buzzing in my head. All I could focus on was my parents and how they were gone.

Later, Yang came, and I could vaguely distinguish her touch from Ilia's. She had held my hand and I had given it a squeeze. Yang also spoke to me but like my sister, I couldn't make out the words no matter how hard I tried to focus. At some point I felt the bed shift and realized that someone was hugging me, rubbing my back as I heard their soft voice. My eyes drooped but wouldn't close. I was tired. So, so, tired. I wanted nothing more than to sleep but I just couldn't bring myself to.

After a while, I finally managed to find my voice. It was silent, just as it had been before but then suddenly could hear Yang humming a soft tune, her hand rubbing gentle circles on my back. I blinked, taking a moment to process. While I was the hospital, Ilia had asked what happened, just once. I hadn't been able to tell her. But maybe...

"I stayed awake for four days. I remember ... everything that happened when I was awake. I would pass out from the pain if I moved too much, so I stopped trying to move."

"Shhh," her voice soothed. "You don't have to tell me."

"It was really, really dark. There were so many stars," I continued. "I remember screaming at my parents to wake up and trying to keep the bugs off my dad. And my mom... my mom was dying. I knew she was. My leg hurt so much. Everything hurt."

I felt my vision blurred, remembering the hell it had been. I remembered seeing the bone sticking out of my leg. My voice had given out from how much I'd screamed. I'd felt tired. So tired.

"I just wanted to lie down and sleep. Mom was asleep. Everyone was asleep. I was so thirsty. I wanted water... The noises ... the animal noises ... fighting and growling right ... around us, right there. I kept waiting for them to come and kill me, but they didn't. And then I realized ... they wanted my dad..."

"Blake..."

I bit my lip as my vision started to blur. "I want my parents...I want my mom...my dad..."

A pair of arms wrapped around me and pulled me towards them. I pressed my face against their neck as the tears came, hand gripping her shirt. I missed my parents. I missed them so much. There wasn't a day that went by that I didn't wish they were here with me, that I could tell them about my day. But they were gone.

Yet, I wasn't alone. Yang was here, and even though I could see her right now, I knew Ilia was somewhere in the dorm, worried and waiting. I felt myself relax, eyes slowly drifting closed as Yang's soft voice helped me float away from the waking world for a bit.

 _Hush your cries, close your eyes,_  
 _Stay with me_  
 _Let's just dream_  
 _Quietly_  
 _Of what might be_

 _Calm your fear_  
 _I'll be near_  
 _To you I'll cling_  
 _Rest my friend_  
 _Time can mend_  
 _Many things_

 _I don't know the answers_  
 _Tomorrow's still unknown_  
 _But I can make this promise_  
 _You won't be alone_

 _I don't know_  
 _Where we should go_  
 _Just feeling farther from our goal_  
 _I don't know_  
 _What path we will be shown_  
 _But I know that when I'm with you I'm at home_


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Blake's POV

Waking up was...something. My body was still exhausted. My eyes still heavy. But the thick cloud that had been hanging over my senses for the past however many days had lifted, and everything started to filter through my brain. And the first thing that actually hit me was the warmth that surrounded me, warmth that I snuggled closer to. I felt strong arms help pull me closer, felt, as well as heard, the soft hum vibrate through Yang's chest. I wrapped my arms around her, only for her to let out a grunt.

"Ow."

I frowned as Yang recoiled slightly and I sat up to get a better look. My eyes widened at the bruise blossoming across her jawline. Gently I lifted up her shirt only to reveal a similar discoloring across her ribs. My jaw clenched. She'd been fighting again.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Nothing important," she answered with a dismissive wave, sitting up as she pulled her shirt down. I sighed and laid back down, snuggling my head in her lap. Almost automatically her hand started running through my hair. "How are you feeling?"

"You were fighting again, weren't you?"

She shifted. "It's nothing."

I looked up at her. "You're hurt. That's not nothing."

Yang didn't have a response at first, her brow furrowing. "Did I ever tell you that Summer isn't my biological mom?"

"What?"

"Well I don't know if you've noticed but Ruby and I look nothing alike," she answered with a strained smile that didn't really reach her eyes. "My dad and my biological mother, Raven, had me before he settled down with Summer. She left me with him shortly after I was born, been in and out of my life ever since."

I nodded, letting her know I was listening before she took a deep breath, wincing when it agitated her side. "The last time she was really around was when the tournament thing happened. She'd come to see me and then...I blew it. When I ended up like this she took one look at me and left again."

"We don't have to talk about this if you don't want to," I replied gently.

"I want to," Yang answered. "As you know I participate in underground fights. She's back and...she's helping me get better. Booking matches and stuff."

"I don't like this."

"I know. But...I need answers. I need to know why she left." She stopped and shook her head. "It must sound really sound stupid."

"No. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"I know."

"You promised you wouldn't get hurt," I told her quietly, my hand brushing by the bruise on her jaw, making her wince again.

Her hand wrapped around my waist and I reached down to intertwine my fingers with hers. "You're hurting too. My bruises, they'll go away. What you're feeling won't."

I flinched, hating that she was right. The door to my room opened and Ilia walked in, looking relieved when she noticed I was awake. I sat up, lowering my gaze and biting my lip. It wasn't fair to her. It wasn't fair to any of them that they had to take care of me as if I were a child. Before I could say anything I was tackled in a hug, her arms wrapping around me. I returned the embrace, feeling at ease as i heard Yang chuckle behind me.

"I'm glad you're okay," was all Ilia said.

I nodded my head, telling her I wanted to shower. When I came out, Ilia had gone to work already and Yang was laying down in bed, arms behind her head. I managed a smile though I was starting to feel a little lightheaded. She must have noticed something was wrong because she stood and led me back to the bed, having me sit there before handing me a cup of water. I shook my head. I wasn't hungry or thirsty despite the fact I knew I hadn't had much in days.

"Drink this for me," Yang said, basically pressing the cup against my lips. I sighed but took a sip. "That's it. There you go."

"Yang, I'm not thirsty," I insisted.

"I know. But I want you to finish half this glass for me," she asked. "And maybe nibble on this cracker for me?"

"I don't know how I'm meant to finish such a hefty feast."

She grinned kissing my temple as we laid back down. "There's my girl."

I snuggled closer, yawning twice as I nibbled on the cracker. "I'm really tired."

Yang's hands rubbed up and down my back in soothing circles. "I know."

* * *

Yang's POV

I rubbed gentle circles on Blake's back and gave her forehead a kiss as she whimpered and whined in her sleep, trying to coax her into relaxing again. She'd had two panic attacks during the the night, and I'd done what I could to help her settle down. Carefully, once I was sure she was okay I rolled onto my back to grab my phone, texting Mom and letting her know it was okay for her to come and check on Blake. Ilia had informed me that Blake had been almost hospitalized last year and I wanted to avoid that.

Ilia let her in as she was leaving for work. I watched as Mom checked her vitals, waking her up to take accurate measurements before finally letting out a deep breath through her nose. I kissed Blake's temple, asking her to get some sleep which brought forth no argument from my girlfriend and she drifted off rather quickly.

"Does she need to go to the hospital?" I asked once I knew she was asleep.

I watched as my mom gently ran her hand through Blake's hair, shaking her head. "No. I can fix her body but that's not where the problem lies." Mom looked up at me.

I nodded. That was true enough. Blake's trauma ran deeper than just her skin, her heart ached. Mom must have felt my unease because she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze before she went back into doctor mode.

"Her blood pressure is a little low. She needs to take in more fluids to avoid dehydration." A pause and another long sigh. "She needs to take medication for her panic attacks."

I nodded. "I know, she doesn't want to."

"I'll talk to her when she wakes up."

While Blake slept, Mom and I talked. Weiss had stayed with Ruby at home since Winter had been deployed again. Good news was it was only for three months this time. I knew how much Weiss missed her sister. My little sister asked for an update on Blake and gave her best.

Blake woke up a little over an hour later, looking just as tired as she had before her nap. Mom asked to speak with her alone and I reluctantly left the room, going to kitchen and grabbing a drink. The minutes dragged by until I was finally called back. I watched as Mom hugged the brunette, soothing her as if she were Ruby or me. She left shortly after.

I collapsed back onto Blake's bed, wrapping my arms around her as she snuggled closer to me. I was tired, and the thought of taking a nap did enter my head before Blake spoke again. "I'm going to take my meds."

Meeting her gaze, I intertwined our hands. "I'll be there for you every step of the way."

We laid there for a while, until I finally thought I should be getting home. I hugged Blake and gave her a kiss, grabbing my helmet as I walked toward the door. My hand wrapped around the handle when I froze.

It finally hit me.

I was in the city. In the daytime. On my bike.

"Yang?"

Blake's voice filtered through my thoughts, and I turned to look at her. "I, uh, huh," I managed to say, my brow furrowing as I studied the shorter woman. "I guess it just hit me that I'm actually here, in the city." I ran my hand over my bald head, still processing.

Golden eyes widened, and it struck me that I wasn't the only one who hadn't noticed. "I... I'm so sorry. I didn't even think..." She trailed off, looking particularly guilty when she pressed on. "Ilia shouldn't have called you. She knows you don't come to the city. I would've been fi-"

"I'm glad she did."

She paused, meeting my gaze. I smiled, giving her one last kiss before opening the door and putting on my helmet, making my way back to Bumblebee.

* * *

Summer's POV

I rested my head in my palms as I sat at the kitchen table, thinking, breathing, resting. Blake was asleep in my daughter's room, knocked out after the latest dosage of meds I'd prescribed. Ilia had dropped her off earlier that afternoon for Blake's usual weekend visit with us. The last dosage had given Blake some side effects, such as tremors, anxiety, and insomnia. Thus, a new dosage had been figured out. Yang was currently out, probably at one of those matches, and Ruby was sleeping over at Weiss's again. I was the only one left awake in this house now.

Those matches. I hated them. Hated that Raven was encouraging this madness. Hated that she let Yang get hurt without a care. Hated that Yang felt she needed to do this to earn even the slightest attention from her biological mother. The hands pressed against my face curled into fists.

There was a knock at the door, and when it opened without me having to answer it I knew exactly who it was.

"What a surprise to finally see you," I commented as Qrow waltzed in, hands pressed into his pockets in the most nonchalant manner.

"Winter was in town," he answered, his lips twitching into a smile. "You know how that goes."

"I'm glad you're finally thinking about settling down."

"Whoa. Let's not get ahead of ourselves. She hasn't proposed to me yet," Qrow answered with a wink. I rolled my eyes in response, standing up to give the man a hug before he took a seat at the table next to the one I'd been sitting in previously. I asked if he wanted anything to drink, which caused his smile to turn into a smirk.

It faded just as quick though, and I could feel the shift in the atmosphere. "Raven's in town."

Ah. So that was the reason for the visit. "I know." I couldn't sit anymore, so I turned and went to the sink, putting up the dishes Ruby had washed earlier before she'd left.

"She's using Yang," he continued.

I took a deep breath, held it, then let it out. "She doesn't want me to interfere."

I heard the chair creak as he shifted, listened as he most likely took out his flask and sipped from it. "Firecracker thinks she can shoulder everything on her own, but we both know it's not true." Another pause. "You need to put a stop to it."

"You think I haven't tried," I asked him.

"Perhaps not hard enough. You're her mother, yeah? Surely-"

The sound of shattering glass filled the room, and I gripped the sink to keep from turning on the man. Instead I stared at the shattered plate I'd thrown back into the sink. "So I'm a bad mother, is that what you're trying to say to me, Qrow?" I hated that my voice wavered, hated that I could feel the frustration building up behind my eyes.

I heard the chair scoot against the floor behind me and then the sound of his boots as he walked up behind me. And then, he hugged me. "No, Summer. We both know you're not a bad mom."

I sighed, letting all of the anger that had managed to lash out for a moment go in that one breath. I was so tired.

Qrow slowly stepped back again, making sure I was okay before shaking his head and rubbing his face. "Have you thought about asking the girlfriend for help?" he tried.

"She has her own demons to fight, though, she's certainly helping in her own way."

Qrow placed a hand on my shoulder. "You know how this will end."

I nodded. "Raven will leave and she will be heartbroken again."

"Yes."

I was about to reply when the door opened and my eldest daughter walked in with her duffel bag. She blinked but offered a wave to her uncle. I told her Blake was in her room, and about her progress. She rushed down the hall, shutting the door behind her. I sighed and shook my head, looking back at Qrow.

He didn't seem to have the answer, either.

* * *

Ilia's POV

"These meds aren't working either."

"Yang, you have to let her try them for a bit," her mother assured once more, showing a patience that probably helped her become such a great doctor in the first place.

"We're getting closer," I added. "Your mom is doing the best she can. To be honest, I'm glad Blake's taking them at all." My gaze shifted toward the sleeping girl in Yang's bed. It was the most she'd slept in a while. It was such an improvement. But I understood Yang's frustration.

"She's not herself!" Yang tried again. "She's...sleepy and tired all the time. Blake doesn't like being like that." Her finger was tapping against her thigh again, biting her lip as she looked over at her girlfriend. Red eyes showed so much concern, her brow furrowed.

"Blake didn't sleep much before," I pointed out. "Sure she's extra sleepy now but she's waking up better rested. That's an accomplishment."

"We're trying to find the right dosage," Dr. Rose replied. "We've only changed it twice. She's a little more alert with this dose than the other. Give it some time."

Yang sighed, muttering to herself and shaking her head. Her mother's words hadn't eased her mind any.

I sighed and opened my mouth to speak. "Yang-"

"Shut. Up."

I blinked looking over to the bed to see Blake somewhat awake, giving us the most irritated look she could muster. Honestly, it was a rather poor attempt and almost bordered on adorable. So much so, that I had to cover my mouth to keep from bursting out laughing. It also managed to get the first real smile out of Yang as she walked over and sat down beside the ravenette, leaning down to press a kiss against her temple.

Dr. Rose decided at that moment to take her leave and I followed her out. "I want to say thank you for everything," I began after a moment. "Blake's been struggling for some time and..." I shook my head. "Aside from the side effects, she is the most relaxed I've ever seen her. I know Yang has a big part in all this but...thank you."

She smiled and squeezed my shoulder. "Anytime."

* * *

Raven's POV

I watch as the kid gets back onto her feet with wobbly legs, panting and sweating and bent over like she just ran a marathon. Hmph. Had she really thought there'd be no retribution the next time she actually decided to show up to a match I scheduled? She'd cost me a lot of money and put a dent in my reputation by not showing. I couldn't just let that slide, even if this girl was biologically mine.

So I'd went all out during our sparring.

I walked over and grabbed my jacket, calling over my shoulder that the fight started in two minutes as I made my way to the makeshift ring. Once I entered the main auditorium, the crowd's cheers were deafening and you could almost feel the electricity surging in the air. I'd almost say it was nostalgic if I cared to for that sentimental nonsense.

Junior approached, asking me to place my bets but I brushed him off. Tonight wasn't about business. Tonight was all about teaching a lesson.

Yang stepped into the ring, getting into position even as her eyes widened. Her opponent was a big guy, almost three times her size and packed heavy with muscle. From what I'd heard he was like a brick wall, and was by far the biggest fighter I'd set my daughter up against yet. I could already see how this match would play out. She'd have to tap out or let him beat her bloody.

I watched. While Yang was certainly faster than the behemoth, he could endure more. Her punches and kicks didn't seem to faze him much. But when he hit her, it was like watch a rag doll absorb impact from a truck.

The man landed a kick to her chest, and she rolled onto my side of the ring. She pushed herself up shakily onto her hands and knees and met my gaze. Her left eye was almost completely swelled shut, and there was blood pouring from somewhere. I narrowed my eyes as she stood. I wasn't going to stop this match, and she knew it.

The man waved to the cheering frenzy around them, then walked over so he stood above the beaten girl. Her hands curled into fists before she tapped the mat twice and Junior declared a winner.

I remained seated as the rest of the room cleared out, most going off with the giant to celebrate his victory. It was just me and Yang left in the room, the latter of which barely being able to stand as she stumbled forward. "That was some sloppy footwork, kid," I told her as she passed and I lit up a cigarette. She paused, turning her head slightly toward me but her eye remained trained downward. "Guess that's what happens when you decide you're too good for practice."

I didn't receive a reply, but I watched as her hands twitched at her side. I waited. Would she actually have the nerve to strike out at me? I got my answer a moment later when one finger simply tapped at her thigh and she started for the exit again.

I blew out a ring of smoke. Damn it all.

* * *

Yang's POV

It's pathetic really.

I just wasn't sure if it was pathetically funny or pathetically sad. I guess it depended on who you asked. In all honesty, it was probably a strange mixture of both.

I examined myself as best I could in the mirror, every twist and stiff movement causing a new bruise to make itself known. It wasn't easy with one swollen eye but I managed. As always, I managed. The bitter taste of a loss made this all the more stupid. I hadn't lost that bad in a long while. It figured though. It was idiotic of me to think there wouldn't have been some form of retribution on Raven's part. My biological mother wasn't exactly all about forgiveness.

The one good eye I had met the one in the mirror as I wiped at the blood from the new laceration above my brow, and I could just make out a sardonic smirk on their face, and I could hear this incredibly bitter sound escape me.

Way to go, moron. Just another disappointment. What else is new.

My hand gripped the sink, forcing myself to swallow as I pressed my forehead against the glass. Probably deserved it. Raven certainly seemed to think I deserved it. I probably did. I clenched my jaw and forced back the tears that were building in the corner of my eyes. I wasn't going to cry. Not over something this stupid.

I took a deep breath, putting on a clean shirt and sweats as I opened the door to the bathroom and limped to my room, being met with a familiar figure on my bed. My mouth felt dry as I watched her sleep. Blake. What will she think of this? The pressure behind my eyes is building again as I sit on the edge of my bed, and I can feel myself shaking as my hands curl into fists against my legs.

I hear her shift behind me, a half awake sound caught in her throat. "Mm?" I hadn't meant to wake her. "Yang?"

"How are you feeling?" I asked instantly, trying to keep my voice even. I don't turn to look at her.

The ravenette yawned. "Better. I'm so sleepy..." I hear her shift and she's suddenly wrapping her arms around me, leaning against my back. I tried to hold back my wince and cry of pain but I'm unsuccessful. I can tell by the shift in the air that Blake is very much awake now and seconds later the room floods with light from the lamp on the nightstand.

I finally look at her, and her eyes are wide. Her hand starts to reach out toward me but stops. "Yang, what happened to you?"

I did the one thing I'm best at. I put on a smile, forced out a laugh. "Raven...she thinks I can take on bigger guys." I rubbed the back of my head in an attempt to convey sheepishness. "Honestly, all things considered-" I stopped when I see the tears glistening in her eyes. "Blake?"

"You promised," she choked out, hands fisting in the sheets. "You promised me."

My stomach twists and I can't stop the tears anymore, letting them fall at the sound of her disappointment. "I know. I'm sorry I broke that promise. I'm so sorry, Blake, don't cry. Please, don't cry."

I move to comfort her but instead I'm tackled into a hug. We land on the floor, and it hurts but I don't let her go as she holds me, tears soaking the shoulder of my shirt. "I need you. I need you like I've never needed anyone," she says between sobs. "But I also need you to be safe. I care about you, so much...I..."

"I'm sorry," I reply, because it's all I can think to say.

She shakes her head, but doesn't say anything else for a long while. I hurt everywhere. But I ignore it. Blake needs me.

Finally, after a moment, Blake slowly gets to her feet and leaves the room, only to come back a moment later with my mother and her first aid kit in tow. I get back up on the bed and refuse to meet Mom's eyes. Instead I focus on Ruby who has paused at the door. I can tell she's taking in the multitude of bruises on my face and arms.

Blake is still by my side as Mom patches me up best she can. I don't deserve it. But I can't bring myself to push it away either.


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Blake's POV

It was cold all of a sudden. My brow furrowed as I blindly reached forward only to be met with empty sheets. I sat up, rubbing my eye and sighing once I saw that Yang's side of the bed was vacant. One glance at the clock showed that it was passed midnight. I got out of bed, slipped on my sneakers and one of Yang's hoodies to go search for her.

The house itself was quiet. I didn't find Yang in the kitchen or living room, but I caught sight of some light coming from the shed outside. It was concerning on some level, but at least this suggested that Yang wasn't at another fight. The bruises she'd obtained from the last fight two days ago were still very apparent, and Yang had been moving around stiffly since.

Bracing myself against the slight nip of the night I walked out across the lawn toward her garage. I reached the entrance and saw Yang leaning against her latest project, staring at her phone in her hand. She bit her lip, sighed, pushed off and started to pace before stopping again. Her entire posture radiated tension and then she tapped at the screen and lifted it up to her ear. I thought I saw her shaking.

"Raven."

The name, even though I'd never met the person it belonged to, made my gut tighten and my fist clench against my crossed arms. This woman... I'd never felt such anger toward someone I'd never met before.

However Yang's voice was even for the most part. "I'm not coming back tomorrow."

Surprise jolted through my body and I waited.

"No. I'm done."

That nervous tick of hers started up, and Yang bowed her head, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. "Those answers aren't worth what you did to me." It looked like it was taking a lot out of her, just to say what she was.

Red eyes opened again, and the hand that had been tapping at her thigh clenched into the fabric of her pant leg. The sound that came out of her mouth was a forced attempt at a laugh, bitter and sardonic and I couldn't remember actually hearing that sound from her before.

"Then I guess we're done."

A moment later she pulled the phone away from her ear, putting it in her pocket. And then she just stood there. She was shaking worse than before, both her fists clenched at her side. Then she moved, and the sound of clattering metal sounded in the decently sized space as her tools hit the floor.

Stepping away from the tool bench and the scattered equipment, the taller woman seemed to curl in on herself as she leaned back against the truck and slowly slid so that she was sitting on the floor. Knees pulled up to her chest and fists curled up against her face, she sat there.

I finally stepped into the garage, walking over and taking a seat next to her, wincing a little at how cold the concrete was. She knew I was there, she didn't even flinch when I leaned against her shoulder. The trembling had subsided, but I could feel slight tremors even now.

"Yang..."

She shook her head, but did turn her attention to me. Crimson eyes glittered but no tears escaped.

"That must have been difficult to do. But for what it's worth I think it's the right thing. Those fights can kill-"

"That isn't why I did it."

I paused. There was resolve deep in those ruby colored eyes underneath the heartbreak. She reached forward, cupping my cheek and I leaned into the gesture, grasping that hand in my own.

"I broke my promise to you," she said. "And I made you cry. I can't... I won't do that again."

My heart broke and I sighed. I was touched that she cared so much, but it hurt to know that she didn't seem to care about the damage that had been done to her. This wasn't about me. It shouldn't have been about me. But I knew better than to push it. "Maybe," I started, leaning into Yang, searching for warmth against the cold. She happily obliged. "If you still want to do matches, maybe we can find a gym around here that-"

But again, she shook her head. "I can't go to the gym. Not looking like this."

"I wasn't suggesting today or anything. But...maybe soon you might consider it." I kissed her cheek before pressing my face against her neck. "I'll be here no matter what you decide. I'm just..." I hesitated, debating. "I'm just glad you won't be getting hurt anymore. I... I'm glad I won't have to worry about you being gone too."

I heard, as well as felt, her hum, running her hand through my hair soothingly. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

Ruby's POV

Mom was silent as we drove home. Not that I hadn't expected it. Mom was one to let the silence speak for her at first. It was the first time that Mom had ever had to pick me up from school. It was a little odd if I was being honest. I'd never really been in any serious trouble before.

School had started off like usual. Classes and lectures and sitting with Penny at lunch, talking about our plans for Fall break. But then Cardin and his cronies sat down next to us. I wouldn't have paid them any mind if they hadn't started mimicking Penny's mannerisms. My friend shifted uncomfortably, scooting closer to me.

And like a pack of wolves they noticed and pounced.

The snide remarks came first. My hands turned into fists and I asked them to stop and apologize. But they just kept going, and then one of the other boys, Sky I think, went as far as to knock Penny's trey off the table.

It all happened so fast after that, and the next thing I knew someone was pulling me off of Cardin. Penny was shaking as the teachers escorted us and the boys to the principal's office. I didn't even notice the bruising on my knuckles and the sting of my lip until Ms. Goodwitch handed me an ice pack. Mom had come to pick me up just as Penny's dad came in for her. She kept apologizing to me even though I assured her it wasn't her fault, that she'd done nothing wrong.

I sighed as Mom pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. She nodded her head briefly, almost to herself, before she turned to face me. There was the typical mom look on her face but no anger or disappointment. That was a good sign at least.

"What you did at school could have gotten you suspended," she began.

"I know."

"Not to mention that boy's father could have pressed charges."

I bit my lip, wincing when I agitated it. "I know."

Mom ran a hand through my hair before lifting my chin. "But I'm proud that you stood up for Penny."

I managed a smile and she kissed my forehead. "That being said, you'll be doing a few more chores around the house for the next two weeks." I groaned and she laughed. "I have to go back to work. Try not to get into anymore trouble until I get back."

Yang was in the living room when I walked in, and was up in a flash when she saw me. She copied Mom's gesture and tilted my chin up, inspecting my split lip and then taking note of my bandaged hand. It was uncanny, really. "Mom told me what happened," she began, taking a step back and sitting down on the arm of the couch. "It was good of you to stand up for Penny." She smiled a little. "Guess you should learn to dodge more though, huh."

I stared at her. Stared at my sister who was still covered in fading bruises. "Yeah."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "It could have been worse. Got to be more careful, sis."

"You're one to talk."

Yang's brow furrowed, confused by the accusation. "What?"

"Yang, I..." I hadn't meant to say it. It had just kind of slipped out. But I'd been holding this in for the awhile now. I hesitated, but pressed forward. "You're never careful. You don't care how bad you get hurt, that those fights could get you killed."

"You..."

"Yeah. I've known about the illegal fights for a long time," I confessed. "I'm not stupid.

My sister stood, red eyes softening as she walked up to me and wrapped her arms around me. "Rubes, I..."

I shook my head, taking a deep breath hugging her back. "You looked so bad. And you don't even care."

I felt her heave a sigh. "I love you, sis."

She didn't want to talk about his, but it was also her way of saying that she heard me. My hands fisted into her shirt. "I love you, too."

* * *

Summer's POV

Coffee was definitely a necessity after the week I'd had. The hospital had been so busy lately. The thought of a nice, warm cup of not hospital coffee had been calling my name all morning, which is why I'd told Blake we could meet at the local coffee shop. She'd arrived only a few minutes after I had, grabbed her own coffee and took a seat across from me in the booth. She looked good. The dark circles under her eyes were almost nonexistent, and she was starting to fill out again.

"How are you, Blake?"

She smiled. "I'm better. The medication seems to be doing its job." The smile spread and grew fond. "Yang and Ilia have also been making sure that I eat plenty of food. I can't tell you how much leftovers we have back at the dorm from Ilia cooking enough for an army."

We both chuckled and casually sipped at our coffee. "So, I have to say I'm curious," I began. "What did you want to talk to me about? I'm guessing it's not about the medication if you feel this good now."

Blake nodded, fiddling with her coffee, tapping the rim with her finger. "I," she paused as if unsure of how she wanted to phrase what she had to say. "I was wondering... How do you get someone you care about to care about themselves?"

It wasn't an easy question. Honestly, I wasn't sure if I had the answers she was looking for, even if I had a hunch of who she was referring to. An image of my eldest daughter covered in bruises two weeks ago fluttered to the front of my mind and I exhaled a sigh. How to make someone care about themselves. "All you can do is be there for them. Whether or not they gain the ability to care about their own wellbeing is ultimately up to them." Deep breath. "Yang, she... Raven leaving her hit her hard. She was a toddler when it happened but it hurt all the same."

I could feel the swell in my chest, the anger that any mention of Raven seemed to cause me nowadays. My hand tightened around the mug. "My daughter loves with her whole heart," I said, tone soft as I looked back up and met the younger woman's golden gaze. "Raven has shattered that heart so many times in the past. And Yang," My teeth clenched before I forced myself to stop. "She thinks it's her fault."

"It's not."

I nodded. "No, it most certainly is not. But, I'm grateful to you, Blake. I've done what I can, but I could only do so much." I smiled at my daughter's girlfriend, trying to convey how grateful I was. "I'd consider it fate that she found you. You've done more for her than I was able. So, my answer to your question, Blake, would be that we just have to keep showing her how much we love her."

The ravenette smiled and nodded. "I can do that."

* * *

Yang's POV

I hated waking Blake up, especially after we'd had such a busy day yesterday, jogging through the woods and even doing a little hiking. I'd made sure Blake didn't push herself but still, we'd both nearly collapsed once we got home. There was also the fact that her meds still had a tendency to make her drowsy. At least now we were working with the right dosage.

As reluctant as I was to wake a peaceful looking Blake, I had plans for tonight, no matter how nervous those plans made me. So, kneeling down I shook her gently, kissing her cheek. "Blake? Blakey?"

This got a grumble from her as she snuggled deeper into her pillow.

I ran my hand through her hair, shaking my head. "Blake, it's time to get up."

One honey colored eye peeked open. "You. Not talking. Sleep."

That made me laugh and I leaned forward to give her a kiss. "I have a surprise, and you have to come to find out what it is."

She seemed to debate whether the warmth of the bed outweighed her own curiosity. The latter must have won out as she sat up, giving me a look of mock irritation as she started to get dressed. She grabbed my black band hoodie, the one with the yellow flaming heart symbol from their album cover. Honestly, it wasn't even my hoodie anymore because Blake wore it more than I did. Not that I minded, of course. Looked way better on her anyway.

She was surprised when I handed her a helmet and we hopped on Bumblebee, her hold around my waist tightening as we drove into the city. It was relatively cool out but Blake didn't complain even when we pulled into the parking lot of the bowling alley. I switched out my helmet for a beanie and led her in by the hand.

The bowling alley was cosmo themed, the walls painted to resemble the universe with stars and planets and galaxies. Mom had taken Ruby and me here on more than one occasion on her days off, Dad too. I remembered that every so often they'd turn the black lights. Ruby had always thought that was cool.

I paid for our shoes and got set up at the second to last lane while Blake grabbed us a couple of bowling balls, kissing my cheek as she did so with a wink.

The game wore on, and when we came to the final stretch Blake rolled the ball down the lane with expert precision and determination, sending it crashing into the remaining pins with a loud clatter. The smile that adorned her face as she turned to face me once more was proud and excited, those eyes I adored so much practically beaming.

I could feel this smile on my own face, softer yet just as happy. Any doubts I'd had about doing this seemed so far away in this moment. It was just her and me and no one else. All the other people might as well have been a Universe away.

"I love you."

She obviously hadn't been expecting it, I hadn't either, but her expression softened as she walked over and got on her toes a bit to kiss me.

"I love you too."

She pulled away as I went up to bowl, noticing out of the corner of my eye a group setting up next to us. I paid them no mind as the ball left my hand, veering left slightly and costing me a strike. Blake grinned at me, clearly happy with her win. I stuck my tongue out but this just made her laugh.

Then we were approached.

"Hey babe, how have you been?" One of the guys from the group that had set up next to us had approached Blake. He was tall and lean, with shocking red hair. I watched for a moment as Blake took a step back as he invaded her space. That was the only sign I needed to intervene.

"Go away, Adam," she said just as I walked to her side, enveloping her hand in mine without taking my eyes off the new arrival.

His cloudy blue gaze flicked to me briefly but quickly returned to the woman at my side who I noticed was glaring at this Adam. "Who's this, babe?" Blake rolled her eyes as I slightly bristled at the way he referred to her. She tried to lead me away. "Wait a minute," Adam called. "You look vaguely familiar. Have we met before?"

I turned to face him once more and Blake followed suit, grip on my hand tightening. "No, I'm afraid I haven't had the pleasure," I replied evenly.

His brow furrowed, really studying me for the first time, and after a moment his eyes lit up in recognition. "Wait! You're that chick!" He snapped his fingers a couple times, trying to recall. "From the news a while back. You broke that guy's leg."

My jaw clenched at the memory. Of course. Seemed even scarred and bald people still remembered that.

"Adam-" Blake tried again but the redhead kept going.

"I have to say, you looked a whole lot better then. I mean...yikes." One of the guys from his group called for him but he raised a hand asking for more time, his eyes not leaving us.

"Adam, that's enough," Blake answered, stepping between us. "Leave her alone."

"Aw, come on, Blakey," he answered before gesturing in my direction and I felt my fists clenching at the use of the nickname. "They don't mind. Do you?" His grin was sharp. He knew exactly what he was doing.

I didn't respond. Deep breath. Hold. Let it go.

"So," he continued. "How come you never called, babe? I thought we had plans."

She didn't reply to his inquisition, instead pulling on our joined hands again. "Come on, let's just go."

"Now, wait a minute. Wait." He made a move to grab Blake's wrist but I grabbed his arm instead, meeting his gaze.

"Don't," I managed through my clenched teeth.

His eyes narrowed as he pulled his arm away. "Who do you think you are?"

"She's my girlfriend," Blake replied, wrapping her arm around mine, giving it a squeeze. "Let's go, Yang."

I nodded and followed her, beating myself up. This hadn't gone how I'd wanted.

* * *

Blake's POV

We turned in our shoes and I followed Yang back out into the late November air, back toward her bike. It had been such a fun date until Adam had shown up. It was the first time I'd had a real interaction with him since March when I'd fallen down the hill. Not a single trace of remorse was on his features. Shouldn't have expected any.

"You're shaking," I commented after a moment, squeezing our intertwined hands.

My girlfriend came to a stop beside her bike, shaking her head and rubbing her face in frustration. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, Yang, sweetie, look at me. It's just you and me now. Breathe."

Red eyes met mine, and her expression was quick to soften as she nodded, taking those deep breaths. She offered me a small smile once she felt calm enough.

"Do you want to go home?" I asked. I'd been more than surprised she'd taken me out on a date into the city in the first place. It was a wonderful gesture. I wouldn't have been disappointed if she'd wanted to just go back home and watch a movie or something.

But to my surprise, she shook her head. "No, I have another idea."

Just when I thought I couldn't be any more curious about tonight's agenda. We hopped back onto the bike and Yang drove us down to Beacon Park. It was your typical park, complete with a little pond on one side and a playground on the other with a strip of sidewalk that encompassed the whole thing. Once again, Yang was the one leading me. She led me to one of the many benches situated along the path, and we sat there, snuggled close together, the earlier tension forgotten.

"Ruby and I used to play here all the time," she said after a moment. "Dad was usually the one who took us, unless Mom was off work." The smile on her face was wistful, fond. "One time Ruby got stuck on top of the monkey bars and it took both me and Dad to convince her to come down."

"Really? Brave and fearless Ruby?"

She chuckled softly, turning her head so that she was looking at me again. Something about those eyes was different than before, there was a determination in them. She bit her lip.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

She swallowed, taking a deep breath as she sat a little straighter. "I, uh, wow I really should have written something down," she began, taking my hand while the other remained hidden in her jacket pocket. "Ok. I know that in the grand scheme of things we haven't known each other for very long." She sighed and shook her head. "But I wanted to tell you that since you came into my life...everything has changed. You've given me back the hope I wasn't sure I'd find again, just by being there, just by being nothing more than yourself." She seemed to steel her herself, and slowly she pulled her free hand out from her jacket pocket. "So, I want to give you this ring as a promise that I'll be there for you as you've always been there for me. Always and for as long as you'll have me."

In the hand she'd kept hidden until know was a simple silver band. It took a moment for my mind to process, for the tears to build in my eyes, and for me to wrap my arms around her neck and kiss her.

"Always," I repeated between kisses as she slipped the promise ring onto my finger. "My sun."

Yang grinned against my lips, her eyes shining bright. "If I'm your sun, what does that make you?"

I hummed in response. "The moon?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of stars."

"Stars?" I asked.

"Mmhmm. Everything about the moon has already been discovered," she explained, face nuzzling into my neck, planting a light kiss there. "But there are millions of stars, enough that I could spend the rest of my life discovering new things about the woman I love."

I smiled. "That was sweet. Cheesy. But sweet."

She laughed. "You're one to talk," she replied, finally planting another kiss on my lips before pulling back once I started to shiver. "We should probably be heading home," she whispered against my mouth.

I agreed, if only because I couldn't hide the fact that I was cold.

The ride back to Patch was quiet, and we entered the house in the same fashion. But something was different. Something in the air felt different. There was a hint of nervous energy, mixed with a type of anticipation.

Afterall, no one else was home.

My heart was beating, fluttering in my chest as I grabbed Yang's hand once again and we walked down the hall to her room, entering and shutting the door behind us. I looked over my shoulder at Yang, watching as she shifted anxiously, eyes watching me with a small little smile on her face. I got on my toes to kiss her again, slowly pushing the jacket off her shoulders. Then I kissed her.

The kiss grew in intensity, and one by one pieces of clothing were discarded. Before I knew it the back of my knees hit the mattress and I fell backwards, dragging Yang with me. We both couldn't help but laugh. Kissing resumed as the beanie and my pants disappeared. I felt Yang tense as her shirt was pulled off, and I pulled her attention toward me. Her cheeks were tinged pink with embarrassment, and it was hard for her to meet my gaze at first.

"It's just us."

One deep breath and a nod was the response I got before she pressed her mouth to mine again.

It was all hard for me to describe, hard to put all these emotions and feelings and sensations into coherent thought. It was new and wonderful. Magical, as cliche as that sounds. It was the perfect end to a pretty amazing night.

It was also exhausting, as we both lay in bed later, content and happy. Yang lay on top of me, face buried in my neck. My hands traced a light path up and down her spine as my eyelids drooped. I could feel each scar, each burn, each hardship. Yang snuggled closer.

"Not very pretty, huh."

I kissed her shoulder, her neck, and finally her lips. "Beautiful," I countered, letting out a yawn. "So, so beautiful."

Yang gave my forehead a kiss in response, and in the safety and warmth of her arms, I drifted off to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Yang's POV

I couldn't sleep. My mind was racing a million miles per hour. Sighing, I sat up, rubbing my face tiredly. Today had been... It was too good to be true the more I thought about it. I glanced over to the nightstand where Blake's promise ring sat. She'd actually said yes. She... She'd actually told me she loved me, we'd said it to each other.

But I couldn't help think about that Adam guy. Everything had been going good before and after his interruption. I'd expected to be called a freak. I mean, I kind of was.

Would Blake really be happy, with me? Sure, we'd been dating for around five months, and I was happy, but was she? The doubt was eating me alive, in the darkness of the early morning I could feel it creeping in.

Everytime I looked in the mirror all I could see was this...thing staring back at me. Would Blake really be okay, years down the line, with someone who looked like this? How? She was so smart, and funny, and so... so strong and beautiful.

What if... what if one day she woke up and saw what I was? What if she got tired of my insecurities and decided it was too much? What if -

"Mmm...Yang...?"

I turned my head to look over at the other girl. "I'm sorry, did I wake you?"

She yawned, gently pulling me so that I was laying down again and snuggling closer. "I had a dream that you were gone and I got worried."

A lump suddenly lodged itself in my throat, and I shook my head. How did she do it? How did she know just what to say? Kissing her temple, I felt myself relaxing. "I love you."

She hummed, burying her face in my shoulder. "I love you too, so much."

It barely took anymore time before she was asleep again.

I smiled. I was an idiot. But I was her idiot.

I must have been smiling like an idiot as I cooked breakfast for Blake and me. I could feel my cheeks starting to hurt as I hummed. It was so weird. But last night had been so... so... It probably would have been horribly cheesy to say perfect but even with Adam's slight intrusion on our date, we'd... I shook my head as I flipped the pancakes.

I loved her. She loved me. Through all our demons and faults... The mere thought of the woman still asleep in my bed filled my chest with warmth, made my smile impossibly wider.

The front door opening brought me out of my thoughts, and I glanced over my shoulder briefly to say hello to my little sister. Ruby sauntered up to my side, eyeing the pancakes and I already knew by the puppy eyes she sent my way that she wanted some. With a roll of my eyes I took two from the stack and put them on a plate for her.

"Thanks sis!" she replied cheerfully as she poured an insane amount of syrup on them.

I continued to hum, managing to flip another pancake as I set Blake's portion on a plate. I went ahead and tidied up a little, turning to find my sister watching me carefully as she chewed. Her grin was knowing.

"What?"

"Nothing. You just seem so...happy." Her smile widened. "I don't think I've ever seen you this... I don't know what to call it."

I laughed. "Can't I be happy?"

"Of course!" She cried waving her hands frantically. "Did you give her the promise ring?" I nodded and her eyes lit up. "What she say?"

Thinking back to the night before, the smile on Blake's face, the string of kisses, the stars above our head. "That I was her sun."

"Sis! I'm so happy for you!" Ruby replied hugging me tightly.

"I told her I loved her and she said it back." Ruby's smile faded slightly, her brow furrowing in what seemed to be a deep pensiveness. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Ruby," I called, placing a hand on her shoulder. "What is it?"

She bit her lip. "If she said she loved you...why are you still like this?"

The question took me by surprise. The curse... That's right. I'd...actually forgotten. But last night, we'd both said I love you. Wasn't that what Goodwitch had wanted. My own brow furrowed.

"Yang, are you okay?"

I shook my head. I'd have to talk to Glynda after breakfast. "Yeah. I'll be fine. I need to get this to Blake."

I grabbed the tray and headed over to my room, opening the door to my room, finding my girlfriend the same way I had left her. The smile on my face turned genuine as I set the tray on the table and kneeled down next to my girlfriend.

"Blake," I called kissing her cheek, running my hand through her hair. "Hey, I need you to wake up for me."

She shifted, letting out a soft hum as one one eye peeked open. I could tell she was still sleepy but I also knew she didn't like sleeping in so late. I smiled, kissing her lips and Blake kissed me back, pulling me by the collar of my shirt and almost dragging me back into the bed with her. I chuckled but pulled back reluctantly.

"As much as I like where this is going," I began, thumb rubbing Blake's cheek. "I made breakfast."

"Well," Blake began as she sat up and stretched, causing me to blush as the blankets pooled around her waist. "I did work up an appetite."

I swallowed thickly, leaning forward and stealing a few more kisses from her again before pulling away again. I sat on the edge of the bed and she followed suit, wrapping the blanket around her body, nuzzling her face into my neck. I hugged her closer to me, kissing her forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

We stayed this way for a moment before I gave her a chaste kiss and stood. Blake gave me a puzzled look and I laughed as I gestured towards the tray of food.

"You should eat. I'm going out for a bit."

"Everything okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah," I replied. "Just gonna go for a quick jog. I'll be back in a hour."

"Okay."

I let out a deep breath through my nose when I closed the door to my room, heading outside. I needed to see Glynda. I needed answers.

* * *

Glynda's POV

"Glynda!"

"I hadn't realized we were on first name basis with each other, Miss Xiao Long."

The girl spun around to face me, out of breath from what I would assume to be her jog into the woods that surrounded her home. "Why didn't the curse break?"

"Because the conditions have not been met," I answered.

She huffed, running her hand over her bald head. "What do you mean they haven't been met? We..." She paused. "We said we loved each other. We... I'd do anything for her." And that was the truth, I knew. There wasn't a doubt in my mind in regards to their feelings for each other. "You told me to learn to fall in love with someone. I've done that."

I shook my head. "I told you that you needed to find it in yourself to love. That condition has not been met."

The former blonde almost growled in her confusion and frustration.

"There's so much anger twisted up inside you." It was so sad to me.

I could almost hear the gears turning in her head. "I need more time."

"Magic can't be undone."

She shook her head. "But if I had more time, I might be able to-"

"You've had two years. I'm sorry," I admitted. "But there is nothing I can do. You have six more months. Use them wisely."

Ms. Xiao Long inhaled deeply, before turning around and starting back up the trail before I asked, "Does this change anything?"

She stopped and faced me again.

"You still love her, don't you?"

It was the first smile I'd seen on her face in a long time, and in that smile I saw fondness and affection, love for Ms. Belladonna. "Nothing could ever change that," was the answer she gave me.

Once she left, I sighed, finding myself back at my desk in Ozpin's office. The man in question glanced up at my reappearance, a knowing smirk on his face.

"What?"

He shook his head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

* * *

Ilia's POV

Mid December in Vale was apparently when things got really cold. Waking up to a mountain of snow was something we'd never had the pleasure of back in Menagerie. After all, how weird would that be on a tropical island? As a kid, I'd always wanted to be somewhere where it snowed. Even now, as I was freezing even under all my layers of clothing, I couldn't bring myself to dislike it.

I could tell Blake felt the same way as her and the sisters had their own snowball fight. Currently it was Weiss and Ruby versus Yang and Blake. I'd been in on the fun earlier but had to call it quits due to getting a little too cold for my liking.

The quartet did eventually come to their senses, however; and came back in for some hot chocolate. The promise ring on Blake's finger seemed to gleam as they cuddled up on the couch, in their own little world.

I'd be going back to Menagerie for the holidays, and had offered to take Blake with me. My adopted sister had declined, not that I'd been surprised. Menagerie had a lot of sour memories for the ravenette.

Eventually, with a cheesy Christmas movie playing in the background, and Weiss and Ruby playfully bickering in the kitchen, Blake nodded off with her head in Yang's lap as the taller girl played with her hair.

"She loves you, you know," I said, taking a sip of my beverage.

The smile on her face said everything, that she knew and that she loved her just as much. "She's changed a lot of things."

"Such as?"

She looked up at me. "Well, I'm going to tell her later, but I've signed up for classes next year in the Fall. On campus."

"Really? That's great! Blake will be so excited!" That was one of things I knew Blake had been worried about for Yang, whether she'd be continuing with her education once the second year was up.

She nodded. "I don't expect it will be easy and I'm actually terrified by the idea," she continued. "But I'm done hiding."

I smiled. "Well, Blake and I will be by your side the entire time."

She nodded again, this time in thanks.

* * *

Blake's POV

I let out a sigh as I snuggled closer to Yang, her arm wrapping around my waist. She'd come over to the dorms with me today and we'd decided to have a day in. Back in Patch we spent most of our time outdoors playing in the snow but my leg could only take so much cold. I didn't want Yang to be cooped up inside so I offered to bring her back to my dorm for the change of scenery...and because we'd be alone, now that the holiday break had started. We hadn't had much private time since our date and although much of the experience was still exploring each other's bodies it wasn't unwelcome in the least.

There was a knock on the door, and I sat up, giving Yang a quick kiss as I reluctantly went to go answer the door. I'd ordered some take out earlier so I didn't hesitate to open the door, only to be met with an unwelcome figure. My eyes narrowed and I tried shutting the door but he wouldn't let me.

"Hey, easy babe."

"What do you want, Adam?" I asked, not bothering to hide my annoyance. The fact that this was what had called me away from cuddling with my girlfriend was even more infuriating.

He offered that supposedly charming smile he'd flashed me many times before. My eyes narrowed. What was he up to?

"Listen, I came here to apologize to you before I headed home for break," he began. "I know last time you were with that freak-"

I tried closing the door again but he stopped me, laughing in amusement as he shook his head.

"Sorry, your girlfriend, is it?" He shook his head again. "I'm really sorry."

I looked at him suspiciously. This was out of his character. The Adam I had known for years never apologized. Never. I tilted my head to the side as I studied him.

"What do you want?" I repeated.

Adam grinned. "This." He shoved me inside, lips pressed against mine as his hands went to my waist.

I pulled away and slapped him, which only caused him to laugh. It made my blood boil. Without thinking twice, I shoved my head forward, hearing something crack before listening to him let out a string of curses. Using my elbow I swung at his face, knocking him back and through the door before straddling him and punching him in the face like Yang had taught me.

"Blake, stop!" I heard someone say before a pair of arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me off the red head.

"You crazy bitch!" he snapped as he stood, covering his bleeding nose.

"You should leave," Yang said as she continued to hold me. "I can always let her go."

Adam cursed again but left and although I could still feel the adrenaline racing through my veins, I was vaguely aware of pain coming from my right hand. My girlfriend pulled me back inside, closing the door and sitting me on the couch before inspecting me. I winced when she touched my hand and she sighed before getting up to grab an ice bag.

"I'm pretty sure it's fractured," she said after a moment, grabbing my car keys and wrapping a blanket around me. "Mom's going to love this story."

"I simply did what you taught me to do," I defended as I followed her out.

Yang grinned and gave me a quick kiss. "That's my girl."

* * *

Yang's POV

Christmas and New Years had gone by without much of a fuss. Of course, everyone had come to our house for New Years. And of course Blake had been the one I kissed at midnight as we all watched the fireworks on tv. And if that was a reflection of the rest of my year, then this year would be phenomenal, spending it with the woman I love.

Now we lay in her bed at her dorm, Ilia having left for work and leaving us to our own devices. I continued to rub gentle circles on her back, content. My attention was drawn back to reality as she shifted.

"You okay?" I knew she was getting used to not having the brace on her wrist again after she'd socked Adam in the face. He would definitely think twice before trying anything with Blake again. Our lessons together had definitely paid off, although there were times when we got...sidetracked to say the least. The thought had me biting back a grin.

She hummed. "Yeah, my leg's just reacting to the cold a little." She looked up at me, chin resting on her arm. "That, and you're thinking awfully hard," my girlfriend commented after another moment.

"It's nothing."

But she continued to study me, golden eyes even and patient. "Talk to me."

I sighed and gently sat up, causing her to follow. "Well, I've, uh, been thinking a lot about the future."

One brow raised, and an easy smile slid into place. "Oh?"

I nodded, taking one of her hands in mine and fiddling with her fingers. "I've been thinking about how hard the future can be to think about sometimes when you're stuck in the past. The year before you came here, I didn't think I had a future. You were right. My plan after this semester was to get my associates online and then move out and disappear. Figure something out." I shook my head. "But now I... I'm daring to look toward my future. And I dare to fantasize that maybe one day, when we're both ready..." I trailed off, rubbing my thumb against the promise ring on her finger.

Blake was giving me that smile now, that soft, beautiful smile that melted my heart every time I saw it. That smile that made me feel like I was the most important person in the world. "Come on, tell me what you think about."

I shook my head, looking away. "It's nothing grand, really."

Blake placed hand against my cheek, rubbing it with her thumb. "Yang, hey, look at me."

I swallowed, and bit my lip. "I see you...and m-me. We have our own place and Mom and Ruby come over for dinner, which I made because you had a long day and I wanted to do something nice for you. I make extra because I know it's only a matter of time before our friends drop by and crash."

Blake nods with that smile, asking me to continue.

And the big thing... "And who knows maybe there's even a crib sitting in the living room." I pause, but Blake's smile only widens. "That's the the future I want. The future where you're by my side, and we're happy."

My girlfriend, without a word, leaned forward to capture my lips, taking my breath away as she usually did. She then kissed my nose before pulling back, her smile still intact. "That's the kind of future I want too," she answered. "A future with you."

My smile must have been beaming as I pulled her down and I rolled so that I was above her, giving her a gentle kiss. "I love you, so much."

Blake nodded and gave me another, deeper kiss. "Me too."


	12. Chapter 12

_**A/N: Here's the new chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Winter's POV

While I had been deployed, I had started to question what I wanted my future with Qrow to be like. While a few years older than me, he had the tendency to act like a child. He was still rather stable. I, on the other hand, had to depend on my younger sister sneaking me into our childhood home in order to have any place to stay. I knew how much it meant to Weiss, but I was no longer comfortable there. Before I'd left three and a half months ago back in early October, Qrow had made the unexpected offer of getting our own place together. I was hesitant at the time.

Although Weiss wouldn't say, I knew that she wasn't completely satisfied with me dating Qrow. Partly, I thought, due to the fact that she thought he didn't act his age. I also knew she was a bit...jealous of the attention I gave him. It had been just the two of us for a long time and she was having a hard time adjusting. So during my time away, I'd decided that it was time to take our relationship to the next step. Moving in together would be a good start now that I would remained stationed in Vale. Qrow had been very pleased with my decision. Of course, I did have a few conditions to us moving in together. One being that he stop his drinking, something he agreed to quite readily.

"So, what's this dinner about?" my younger sister finally asked.

I sighed and Qrow gave my hand a gentle squeeze. "We're moving in together," I revealed. "I won't be staying with Dad anymore."

Her blue eyes widened before she dropped her gaze, biting her lip. "Oh, okay." A pause. "So you're not going to see me anymore?"

"She's not moving to Atlas," Qrow commented and I scowled at him.

"What he means is that I will still be in the area. We wanted to show you the place after dinner."

She hummed in response. "So does that mean you're engaged?"

My boyfriend choked on his water, causing me to roll my eyes. Ever the dramatic. "I'd rather wait to make sure she doesn't kill me in my sleep."

Weiss managed a smile and I elbowed him before asking for the check that he subsequently took from me. The drive to our new home was short and Weiss nodded her approval as I showed her around. It was a nice house in a decent neighborhood and pretty big as well.

"And this is your room for when you want to spend the night," I announced.

"There's also a bed that rolls out," Qrow pointed out. "In case Firecracker or Ruby decide they want to come visit."

She nodded and I waved my boyfriend away before sitting on the bed and patting the spot next to me. Weiss sighed and I wrapped an arm around her. "I know it may be a little sudden but I think it's for the best," I told her. "A tense environment isn't good for you and I wasn't comfortable at home anymore."

"I know. I just...I want to spend time with you."

"And you will. Qrow doesn't have a problem with that." I kissed her temple. "You're always welcome here."

We talked a little before she said she wanted to sleep. I went over to my room, changing and finding Qrow already in bed. I crawled under the covers, smiling when he wrapped an arm around my waist, kissing my neck.

"How'd it go?"

"Better than I thought it would," I admitted. "It'll be some time before she gets used to this."

"My nieces can help. They're thick as thieves those three. No matter how much your sister denies it."

I laughed and nodded. "Thank you, for everything."

I felt the soft rumble in his chest, before feeling the stubble around his chin against my cheek as he planted a kiss there in response.

* * *

Blake's POV

The front door to Yang's house opened as I was getting out of my car, and I couldn't help but laugh a little when I noticed the apron she wore. Seemed she really was going all out making our Valentine's Day dinner. And with Ruby and Summer otherwise occupied and out of the house. I grabbed the box from my passenger seat and locked my car as I followed my girlfriend inside. She gave me a quick kiss before heading back into the kitchen to check on her food.

There were red balloons with little heart designs everywhere, petals scattered here and there. Candles lit the hallway and living room, the kitchen light being the only one on. I felt a hand intertwine with mine as she led me to the table, pulling back a seat so I could sit down. I gave my girlfriend a nod of thanks before she went back over to the stove again.

"What's on the menu?" I asked.

"Salad and spaghetti," she replied, grinning over her shoulder at me. "Hope you don't mind."

"Not at all."

She pulled her seat up next to mine after she set said food on the table, ready to be served and eaten. We talked, mostly about our plans for the Summer. Yang mentioned wanting to take me to the observatory for some star gazing. There was even some talk about her joining me on campus next semester. I could tell the thought still made her nervous, but there was a determination in her eyes as she discussed it.

"It'll be a new adventure," she'd said.

Yang took our plates to the sink and ran some water to let them soak. Then, expression soft and lips turned up in a wide smile, she suddenly held her hand out for me to take which I did with some confusion, following her over to the living room. She turned on the speakers and a soft and slow song began to play. Her arms encircled my waist, pulling me closer as my hands wrapped around her neck and we slowly swayed to the melody. My gaze met hers, I could feel my heart beating in my chest.

"You're thinking awfully hard," she teased,, leaning down a little so that her cheek pressed against mine. Her breath hit my ear and I shivered.

"Just thinking about the woman I love," I answered back, turning my head a little to give her a kiss.

Yang hummed in response, grip tightening around my waist. "Me too."

We stopped when we realized that the music had quit a while ago, though really, neither of us minded. Reluctantly I broke away to go get the desert I'd brought in, opening the box to reveal a turtle pecan ice cream pie. Yang grabbed some whip cream from the cabinet, spraying some on top before slicing me a piece.

She scooped a bite out of her own piece and held it out for me. I opened my mouth only to have her smear the whipped cream and ice cream on my nose. I laughed in surprise, which only made her grin innocently, leaning in to give me a kiss which smeared some of the desert on her nose as well.

"You know I'm going to get payback," I teased as I ate my slice.

"Oh yeah? How?"

I grinned, pulling her into another, deeper kiss before pulling away and starting toward her room. "Why don't you come and find out?"

Yang's cheeks turned that adorable shade of pink, red eyes darkening a little. "Well Mom and Ruby won't be back for at least another hour..."

"We better make the most of it, then," I replied as I disappeared into her room, listening as she stumbled after me.

* * *

Yang's POV

I felt Blake shift as my phone rang. Groaning, I pried myself away from her, sitting up, wondering who the hell would be calling me this late at night. One glance at the screen, and part of me wished I slept right through it. Glancing over to make sure Blake was still asleep, I pressed the green button and held the phone up to my ear. What could she possibly want?

"Hello?" I whispered.

"Yang? Were you asleep?" Raven's voice answered from the other side. I felt myself tense automatically at the sound of her voice, phantom pain ringing throughout my entire being. I hadn't heard that voice in six months, since October. Why was she all of a sudden...?

"Well it is two in the morning." There was a semi awkward pause. "What do you want?"

She sighed. "I know you have every right to be upset but I just want you to hear me out."

I was half tempted to hang up. I knew she didn't deserve to be heard out after what she'd put me through. But... maybe...

I gave the go ahead, and she explained that she'd just been under a huge amount of stress, how she hadn't wanted to hurt me. She'd only wanted to make me stronger. Then my biological mother talked about how she remembered the few times that she and Dad had taken me to that old ice cream shop in town during the few times she'd made herself known when I was younger. She remembered how much I'd liked the strawberry cone. I remembered it being lemon sherbert.

She even managed to work an apology in there, amongst all the honey coated anecdotes. I knew better, I really did, but she almost seemed to be trying, at least. Maybe we could bury the hatchet... Maybe...

"And I was thinking we could go to a couple of matches," Raven continued, really seeming to pick up steam from the fact that I hadn't hung up yet. "We can study their strategy, come up with something that will knock them flat, get the crowd really excited."

There it was.

I steeled myself. "No, I won't fight."

She tried to recover. "What about a sparring match? Just you and me, like old times."

I bit my lip. I hadn't practiced for a couple weeks, and I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the adrenaline firing through my veins. My grip tightened on the phone. No. Just say no.

"C'mon, kid. You know you miss the crowds calling for The Dragon. I can make you the best underground fighter again."

I looked over my shoulder at Blake. She was sound asleep, without a care in the world, snuggled close to my side like most nights. I had made a promise. I wouldn't hurt her again, wouldn't make her cry because I came home covered in bruises again.

I shook my head, knowing damn well she couldn't see me and knowing there would be no going back once I gave her my response. "No," I finally answered. "I'm not interested in that kind of life anymore."

A pause. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Hmph. "Should have known you wouldn't have the guts."

I didn't respond, clicking the end call button and setting the phone back on my nightstand. Part of me felt horribly twisted inside, like I might reach for the phone and call her back. I took a deep breath, held it, and let it go, laying back down and pulling Blake closer to me. She sighed, still fast asleep and I pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Deep breath. Hold. Let it go.

I was happy, right where I was.

* * *

Summer's POV

Time flew when one wasn't paying any attention. I could hardly believe it was May, almost a week away from the anniversary of the Incident. Yang was certainly very aware, if her latest bout of fidgeting wasn't evidence enough. She'd been restless for the last few days, even Ruby and Blake had noticed.

I was pulled out of my thoughts with a frown when the doorbell rang, and I sat aside my coffee to go answer it. I opened the door, eyes widening when it was revealed to be the last person I'd expected standing on the other side.

"Raven."

If it hadn't been for the age lines around her eyes I'd have said she hadn't aged a day since I'd last been in the same room with her almost six years ago. Still wore that black leather jacket with a red tank underneath, dark jeans and those heeled boots. Her wild mane of charcoal black hair still looked as uncontrollable as ever, even if her crimson colored eyes were more tired than they should be.

"Summer," she nodded. "Mind if I come in?"

I debated it. I really did. Yang was in her room, waiting for Blake to come by. Did I really want to chance her seeing Raven? But in the end, I let the other woman in after I made her extinguish the cigarette hanging from her lips. She did so with a roll of her eyes before I led her inside and into the living room. She stopped by one of the shelves, seemed to look at one of the photos before she moved she returned her attention back to me, digging out an envelope from her jacket pocket and handing it to me.

I furrowed my brow as I opened said envelope, reading its contents. My jaw clenched. "What is this?"

She raised a brow. "You don't look happy."

My hands tightened, crumpling the paper a little. "You hurt her. Over and over again. And you have the nerve-"

"I don't see what the problem is here," she said. "I remember you saying this was for the best."

"Ten years ago!" I snapped, trying to reign in my temper, not wanting Yang to hear. "You've put her through years and years of emotional torment and now that she's an adult capable of saying no to you, you want nothing to do with her?"

She shrugged. "I'm leaving Vale, won't be coming back." Red eyes were even as they stared at me. "Besides, I know you don't want your daughter's name associated with someone like me."

It was so baffling. The nerve of this woman. "What happened to us, Raven?" I asked. "We used to be friends. Family. What happened to us?"

The older woman's jaw clenched. "Life happened. Tell the kid I'm not coming back. To not look for me," she added heading towards the door.

"Raven, if you walk out of this house, don't you dare come back. Don't you dare seek out Yang ever again."

The other woman turned back to look at me, hands curling and uncurling at her side. She shifted as if to take a step, whether forward or back I wasn't sure.

"Sit down," I ordered.

She scoffed. "If I'd known I was going to get a lecture I wouldn't have come."

"I said, sit down." Raven's eyes narrowed and she refused to comply. Didn't matter, I had her attention. "You know, Yang's been doing so much better without you these last few months." She opened her mouth but I cut her off. "No. You are going to listen to this. It's my turn to talk." Her jaw clenched. "Yang is amazing young woman. She's not some toy you can put away when you're done with her."

Raven persisted. "When she was born I-"

"Don't give me any of that 'I was scared' bullshit! I was actually there. You wouldn't even look at her when she was born. And even if you were scared, so were we, so was Tai. Do you think he had the any clue what to do with a baby?" I could feel my anger boiling my blood. When we were kids I would have never imagined Raven could be this selfish, this manipulative. Sure, she'd been a bit callous but this was... The sheer audacity to keep coming back and promising my daughter the world only to snatch it away...

When she'd shown up, I'd wanted to be optimistic for Yang's sake. I'd wanted to hope that maybe this time it would be different. But I'd remained realistic. This time would be no different than all the others. Raven would inevitably disappoint and devastate my little girl once more. I'd, unfortunately, been right.

"We - I - didn't run out on my family, Raven."

I was furious, and yet in the face of said fury, Raven looked unimpressed, unphased. "Fine. You're right. I'm a terrible human being. But you didn't answer my question."

Disappointment vibrated through my entire being, just imagining the look on Yang's face. I scoffed. "I'm not doing your dirty work for you. Tell her yourself."

Once again, Raven opened her mouth to respond but stopped, red eyes looking passed me, causing me to turn. Yang stood in the hallway, looking hesitant, similar crimson eyes flicking between us. I offered the former blonde a soft smile before her attention settled on her biological mother.

"Raven?"

I watched as the other woman flinched minutely. It looked like she couldn't avoid saying goodbye this time.

There was a moment of silence and then... "I've given my rights to Summer."

The look on Yang's face sent a sharp pang through my heart. "What?"

I took a seat on the couch, my body feeling heavy, dreading what was about to transpire. It was never easy, watching your child's world get shattered. I could do nothing more than sit, and wait.

Raven didn't answer. And that seemed to be enough for Yang. She straightened a little. "Goodbye, Raven."

And the woman in black and red wasted no time leaving. She didn't even hesitate or falter. Didn't spare Yang or I one glance. She was out the door not even a minute later, gone forever. My eyes never left Yang. She stood there in the middle of the living room, arms hanging loosely by her side.

The girl blinked, brow furrowed, looking a little conflicted. But then she came back from wherever she'd been lost in her head. She looked over at me, a smile almost immediately spreading across her face. "This actually works out pretty nice," she replied with a carefree shrug. "Blake's coming over soon."

I leaned forward in my seat. "It's okay to be angry."

"Why should I be mad?" Ruby colored eyes just weren't as bright. "At least she sort of said goodbye this time."

"I'm - "

But Yang wasn't done. "I mean, it's not like I'm five years old," she continued, her hands flexing at her side. Her words coming out quicker. "Who needs her, right? She's never been there for me. She never taught me anything." She swallowed, trying to catch her breath. "She wasn't there when I learned how to fight, but I learned, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," I answered, even though I knew she wasn't really talking to me anymore.

She nodded more to herself than me. "I got through high school without her. I learned how build my own bike, I learned how to ride it. I had twenty-one great birthdays without her, so she can go to hell!" The last few words came out loud, and by this point Yang was shaking with a mixture of fury and suppressed tears. "I didn't need her then and I don't need her now."

I stood now, taking a step closer to my little sun dragon. "Yang - "

Yang's eyes shut tight, her arms wrapping around herself, her body curling in on itself. "You know, Mom, I'm going to finish college without her and get a really good job. I'm going to be with Blake and we're going to adopt a cute little kid and I'm going to be a better mother than she ever was because there isn't a thing she can teach me about how to love my kid!" Each word was coming accompanied by sharp breaths. She finally looked up at me, cherry eyes filled to the brim with tears and looking so lost, so hurt.

"Mom... Why doesn't she want me?"

I wrapped the sobbing girl in my arms, and felt as her hands tangled in my shirt. There was nothing I could say that would make this ok. All I could do was let her know I was there, that I loved her with all my heart.

* * *

Yang's POV

I studied Blake as she studied for the last of her finals. She was the picture of focus and determination, even as I rubbed a thumb against the back of her hand. My online finals were over and done with, which left me to just sit back and read or help her in the meantime.

Tonight was the deadline. Tonight at midnight, I'd forever look like this.

I should have felt dismayed at this inevitable fact. But I didn't. A cloak of what I could only describe as acceptance had washed over me. So what, I'd thought the night of Raven's permanent departure as I'd curled up against Blake, still crying into her shoulder cuz it had hurt more than it should have. Afterwards, I'd admit that it felt good to get that all out. Blake and Mom and Ruby, the were all I needed. Oh, and the rest of the gang too.

My friends had come by between now and then. I'd announced that I would be starting going to campus next year. I can see the excitement in Mom's eyes. Ilia and my girlfriend had extended an invitation for me to stay at their dorm. Something we were both excited about. After we'd discussed the future I'd imagined for us, Blake had wanted to save money so we could get our own place someday.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked with a yawn, closing the book in her lap and laying down beside me.

"Nothing in particular," I admitted giving her forehead a kiss. She hummed and I managed a smile.

Yeah, this was enough.

"You know," I began, my voice a little louder than a whisper. "For the longest time, I thought that if I could get Raven's approval, if I could get her to answer my dumb questions everything would be okay, everything would finally make sense. But wanting her approval, trying to be good enough for her warped view of things made me into something ugly, something I didn't recognize." I shook my head. "It wasn't me. I hated myself. I loathed my very existence because my biological mother threw me away time after time. I was the problem. I had to be."

Blake didn't say anything, her hand holding onto mine as she rubbed her thumb over my knuckles in comfort. I gave her hand a squeeze.

"I think... I think I need to let go of the past, of her. I think it's time I start focusing on me. I think it's time that I...I finally accepted that I'm not the problem." I gave the back of Blake's hand a kiss, sharing a smile with her. "I'm me, for better or worse. And that's ok. Im enough."

"You've always been enough."

"I'm starting to realize that. I don't think I would have realized that without some help." I looked back at the clock that read 11:30 pm. I sighed before looking back at my girlfriend, giving her a kiss. "I love you."

She hummed and gave me another kiss. "I love you too."

"We should get some sleep," I told her, putting the book on the nightstand and wrapping my arms around her. She snuggled closer to me and I kissed the top of her head.

Nothing was going to change tomorrow. And that was ok.


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Here's the new and second to last chapter! Thank my awesome co-author BG-13 and don't forget to review!**_

* * *

Blake's POV

I'm only starting to become conscious when I notice it. Something feels off. The warmth my girlfriend usually emits is still there. Her arms are still wrapped firmly around me. But... something is tickling my nose and it's driving me nuts.

Groggily, I peel my eyes open, and I'm met with gold. Lots and lots of gold.

It takes a second for this to register, and when it does I practically bolt back in surprise, knocking my head against something hard. The mass moves in response with a pained yelp and then the next thing I know they're falling off the side of bed and landing with a hard thud.

I'm still in the middle of processing when I lean over the side of the bed, watching as they hold their chin. Lilac eyes blink up at me, confused and sleepy. Their free hand goes to rub the back of their head when they freeze, fingers now combing through blonde strands.

They look like they're about to have a panic attack.

"Yang...?"

She's frozen, still staring at the strands caught between her fingers until her eyes, now a stunning shade of amethyst that I've only ever seen in pictures, look up again at me at the sound of her name.

Before I can reach out, say anything, she's suddenly on her feet and out the bedroom door, heading toward the bathroom. I follow suit, and find her staring at the mirror.

Now that I've gotten the chance, I notice that the scars that used to decorate her skin are gone. Blonde hair hangs down to her waist in untamable golden curls, and those lavender orbs are shining with unshed tears, still just as confused.

Finally, they turn their attention to me, and a shy smile slowly finds its place. "I..." It's the first thing she's said all morning. "Hi." She even adds this little wave as tears stream down her face.

I'm quick to wrap my arms around her. It's different than before. It's somehow warmer. I lean up and kiss her, gently, soothing, because I can still feel her heart beating in anxiety.

"Hi."

Seconds later we hear footsteps from down the hall and suddenly Ruby and Summer are at the door, Ruby wiping sleep from her eyes, before both sets go wide.

"Wha...?"

Before Yang can answer, Ruby tackles her sister. I manage to dodge so that I'm not taken down with them.

Summer looks to me and I shrug as Yang pulls herself out of her sister's grip and smiles over at me. "I'm me."

I smile back. "You always were."

* * *

Yang's POV

It was...bizarre. It was beyond baffling. I had a hard time not laughing at the absurdity of it all. Looking at myself in the mirror that first time, it was like the last two years never happened. The only scar left on my body was the small tattoo of the sun on the inside of my wrist. That hadn't been there before but I guess it was a reminder, left by Glynda.

Heh. A sun.

I glanced away eating my cereal and down the hall where Blake was taking a shower. She was the only real acknowledgment that time had passed. Her and the mysteriously missing ache in my chest.

Mid bite, the front door opened and in charged Ilia, looking around before her gaze landed on me and she stepped forward. "Ok," she began as if preparing herself. "I want you to know that I know you have nothing but the best intentions with Blake and that you genuinely care about her but I've been waiting years to give this speech so shut up and listen."

I finished chewing, blinking once before nodding. "...Ok."

She smiled, hands on her hips and a resolute nod. From there she proceeded to give me the sister speech, starting off with how she knew that Blake and I were getting serious and thinking about getting our own place but that didn't mean that she was alone. The red head continued by stating that if I ever hurt Blake, which she knew I wouldn't, I'd have to watch my back for the rest of life as she would personally come after me. I listened and nodded. I reassured her that I just wanted Blake to be happy.

It all ended with a hug from Ilia as she left, stating that she needed to get to work. A few minutes after was when Blake came out of the bathroom, toweling off her hair.

"Hey, was someone here?"

I smiled, patting the spot next to me on the couch, kissing her forehead when she sat down. "You just missed Ilia's big speech."

Blake frowned before letting out a groan. "Please tell me she didn't give you the big sister speech."

I smirked. "How'd you know?"

"Because I know she's been dying to give that stupid speech for years."

"So she said."

"Thank you for humoring her."

"She's important to you," I replied, wrapping an arm around her. "And she made it very clear that she trusts me and that the speech was more for her than me."

"I honestly don't know what to do with her sometimes. She just..."

"She loves you a lot."

"Yeah she does," my girlfriend answered with a smile, leaning her head against my shoulder. "And I love her. She's family."

"I always teased Ruby that whoever she brought home would get a similar speech."

"Lord help that poor soul."

I rubbed her arm. "You know, she mentioned she was going to Menagerie to see her parents."

Blake hummed in response, content where she was, snuggling closer.

"I was thinking, if you maybe felt up to it, we could go with her?" It came out as a question, as I'd intended. The reaction was immediate as the ravenette's body tensed. "We don't have to."

Blake finally looked up at me, and the emotion on her face was almost devastating. She looked terrified.

"We wouldn't have to fly," I continued. "There's a cruise ship we could take if you decided that you wanted to go."

Blake shook her head. "It's not only the flying, it's..." Another shake. "I don't know."

I sighed and nodded pulling her to me again. "Hey, it's okay. We can discuss it another time, just relax."

She nodded her head, hand gripping my shirt. "Okay."

* * *

Ilia's POV

My grip tightened on the wheel as I turned into the airport. About a week ago Blake had called to let me know she and Yang would be coming to visit. I was surprised, knowing my surrogate sister hadn't planned on returning to our hometown any time soon. I could hear the hesitance in her voice but she assured me everything would be okay. My parents had been excited and I tried to be as well but I just couldn't help but be nervous for the ravenette. Plane rides were tricky and she'd decided to fly here. I knew Dr. Rose would prescribed her the medication she needed but...

I clicked on my emergency lights as I spotted the pair, my eyes zeroing in on Blake and Yang. She offered me a small smile and wave but wouldn't let go of Yang's arm even when I hugged her. I could see the concern in the blonde's now lavender eyes. I helped with their bags and as soon as they were in the car, the younger girl fell asleep. It wasn't long before we pulled up into our old home and my parents came out to meet us. They fawned over Blake and welcomed Yang. When Blake excused herself though I could see hints of worry in their eyes.

"It was a long plane ride," the taller girl said after a moment. "I'll go put our stuff down and I'll be right back."

It was a couple of minutes before she came back, letting us know that Blake had fallen asleep again. I sighed and shook my head. I'd figured this would happen.

"Yang, how is she?"

The former fighter bit her lip and shook her head. "It was hard getting here. She hasn't slept for almost two days. She needs rest."

"Blake's been this way since her parents died," Mom began. "It was very hard on her."

"We thought she'd never recover," Dad added, getting up to grab a picture frame of the Belladonnas and handed it to Yang. "They were very close."

"She's gotten so much better," I added.

"I hate seeing her like this."

"Me too." I placed a hand on her shoulder. "All we can do is give her some time." She sighed and I managed a smile. "You must be hungry. Mom made enough food to feed an entire army."

My parents led her to kitchen and I glanced in the direction of Blake's old room. Being here was like ripping the bandaid off an old wound. It would hurt at first but perhaps she will heal better than before. That's all I could hope for.

* * *

Yang's POV

I let out a sigh as I leaned against the door frame of our room. Blake hadn't said much since we arrived, going straight to bed after greeting Ilia and her parents. I had introduced myself, spent time with them and got to know a little more about Blake's past. She'd only mentioned her parents a handful of times but I knew that their death had left a void in her heart. When we'd boarded the plane after she'd taken a couple of pills I'd almost regretted my suggestion to travel here a few days back. I'd seen the hesitation at the time but later that week she'd informed me of our trip. My girlfriend had been miserable the entire flight, anxious, and paranoid despite her medication.

Today I had woken up to her still asleep. I'd gone out for my usual run and then showered. I pushed her hair to the side, leaning down to give her cheek a kiss before shaking her awake. She let out a soft groan as she tried to blink the sleep out of her heavy eyelids. When her eyes finally opened she managed a small smile that I returned.

"There you are," I greeted giving her a quick kiss. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," my girlfriend answered with a yawn.

"Breakfast is ready," I tried. "Ilia's parents are worried."

"I know. I'll go in a little bit." I hesitated and she smiled, sitting up to give me a quick kiss. "I promise."

True to her word, she came out around my third bite. She was wearing my hoodie and beanie, the sleeves hiding her hands away as usual. I loved it when she wore my clothes yet I couldn't help but frown. It wasn't too long ago that I hid myself behind those exact clothes and I wondered if she was doing the same. The Amitolas greeted her once more, hugging her and commenting on how much she'd grown. Mr. Amitola had been the Belladonnas accountant and friend for years. He still helped Blake manage various investments.

She didn't eat much from her plate before curling up with me in the couch, dozing off as I flipped through the channels. Ilia's parents had full time jobs during the day though they'd assured us that they'd make sure to take me around the island this weekend. I'd hoped my girlfriend would be the one to do that but she wasn't looking too good. Of course, I wasn't the only one to notice. I could see Ilia glancing in our direction as she did the dishes.

I sighed kissing the top of Blake's head.

* * *

Blake's POV

After a day of staying in my room and sleeping I'd decided that it wasn't fair to Yang to be cooped up inside with me. So, instead I'd decided to take her to beach, enjoying the sun while I tried to put all my thoughts and feelings together. It had been two years since I'd left and I had promised myself I wouldn't look back. At least not this soon. I knew my girlfriend was worried, and I tried to act like nothing was bothering me with little success. Everything in Menagerie brought back memories. The wounds I thought had closed reopened, figuratively and literally. My leg hadn't stopped bothering me since we landed.

"Blake!" I heard Yang call with a laugh as a wave hit her. "Get in the water with me!"

It was a tempting offer. While Yang still had some residual unease around crowds, it was more of an old habit than a reflection of her current state of mind. And currently, she looked to be having a lot of fun and looked amazing in her swimsuit. I managed a laugh and shook my head. "I'm fine where I'm at."

She tilted her head and waded toward me. I sighed. I was being too obvious, despite my best efforts. "Are you going to tell me what's wrong?"

"I'm just tired from the flight," I answered. "It was the first time I've been on a plane since the accident."

Yang hummed in response, cupping my cheek in a way that always made me lean into the warmth. She smiled and leaned in for a kiss which I reciprocated. I was slightly out of breath when she pulled away and I leaned my head against her shoulder as I fixed my gaze on the waves. Before everything had happened Dad and I would come here on the weekends for an early morning run. When we'd get home Mom had lemonade ready for us.

"Are you hungry?" Yang asked bringing me out of my thoughts. "'Cause I'm kind of starving."

I laughed. "I know just the place."

I took her to the burger place Ilia and I used to go to and I knew I'd made the right choice when Yang basically devoured her meal. We walked on the docks, holding hands and enjoying the view. It wasn't long before we headed back home and my girlfriend basically passed out in our room. I smiled and shook my head, giving her cheek a kiss and grabbing a book before heading to the living room.

"Can't sleep?" Ilia asked as she sat next to me. I blinked but nodded, not having heard her come in. "Yang must be really tired for her not to feel you get up."

I managed a smile. "Yeah, she can run and hike at home but the heat and sun really drains her."

She gestured to the book in my hands. "What are you reading?"

I shrugged. I hadn't even read the title when I grabbed it. "Nothing in particular."

The red head hummed in response. "Blake, are you okay?"

I lowered my gaze. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be."

Ilia scooter closer to me, grabbing my hand. "There's a lot of emotions you buried here before we went to Vale. And it's okay if you're not okay."

I didn't say anything as I stood. "I'm going to go for a walk," I replied. "I won't be long."

She sighed but nodded and I grabbed one of my girlfriend's hoodies before heading out. I knew these streets well and not much had changed since I left. I didn't have a particular destination in mind but I wasn't surprised when I ended up on a familiar dirt road. I could feel the knot forming as I headed up to the gate, opening it with a screech.

My home.

It looked old, void of any life. The garden that my mom had planted was nothing but weeds and the paint was starting to scrape off. My dad's old truck still sat in the driveway where he'd left it. No one had been here since they died. Even I hadn't come back, Ilia being the one tasked with bringing my clothes and a single picture I had asked for. A gentle breeze passed and I heard a squeak. I looked over to the old swing set Dad had built for me and without much thought I went over and sat in it. I don't know how long I sat there but it must have been a while or Yang wouldn't have come to find me.

I could feel something blocking my throat, my eyes blurring with tears that wouldn't fall. She kneeled in front of me and I covered my face as I sobbed like I never had before. The last thing I remember was holding on to Yang as she carried me on her back.

* * *

Yang's POV

It was hard to describe the feeling of relief I'd felt upon finding Blake at her old home. It had been plain to see the past few days that this trip was really weighing on her mind. She'd been dreading it, was still so uncomfortable here. No matter what I said, or how many times I offered to get us early tickets home, she brushed it off with that painfully half hearted smile and a kiss. She'd done her best to show me around the island but old memories were everywhere.

So when we returned from our beach trip I'd pretended to take a nap to give her a moment of rest. Half an hour later, however; I started to get a little anxious when she hadn't returned. Ilia did her best to reassure me that my girlfriend wouldn't take much longer but the sun was starting to set and that only worsened my anxiety. So Ilia told me where she was most likely to be and how to get there and I'd headed out.

Sure enough she was there, sitting on an old swing and I carrying her on my back like all those months ago to Ilia's parents' house.

When we returned I set her on the bed and gave her some time to gather her thoughts. At first she didn't move, wouldn't meet my gaze. I sighed and went to get her a glass of water. When I came back she was sitting on the edge of the bed, cell phone in hand. It wasn't her usual phone, but I remembered seeing it next to her parents picture frame in the dorms.

"Blake?" I called.

"I...I just need to listen to a message," she began, her voice cracking. "But I can't...I can't bring myself to hit play."

I set the glass of water down by the door before sitting next to her. I looked at the screen, hesitating for a second before pressing play.

"Hi sweetie, it's your mom and dad." Blake took a sharp breath, letting out a choked sob. Her grip tightened on my hand. It was her dad's voice.

"Let me talk to her. Ghira, she can only hear you." Her mom took control here. "Oh. Blake, we're on the plane we bought and...wow, I wish you were here with us. You're going to love it." I tried to stand, knowing that this was a private moment but was stopped when Blake refused to relinquish her grip on my hand. I squeezed it in return and sat back down to listen to the message.

"The sky's the limit sweetheart. This may be the most perfect plane ride I've ever been on."

"Your father may exaggerate a little but I have to agree it is beautiful up here. It's time to land, we will see you soon. Oh, and Blake? We love you. Love you honey!"

The silence that enveloped us after was almost crushing. Blake shrunk into herself even more, but there was this little smile on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she choked out a short laugh."I'd never been able to listen to it," Blake said after a moment, wiping away her tears. "It's the voicemail they left me before the crash. I was here, studying with Ilia."

"It's okay to miss them." She nodded and I gave her hand another squeeze. "I miss my dad too sometimes."

She looked up at me, really looked at me. "You would have liked them." She smiled. "They would have adored you."

I kissed her forehead. "My dad would have embarrassed me at every turn. He was the king of dad jokes."

"Oh, the horror."

And that's how the rest of the night went, we spent it talking about her parents and my dad, our favorite memories with them. She told me about the time she almost set the house on fire and her parents had flipped, and wouldn't let her near candles for a very long time after. I told her about this one time when dad had tried skateboarding and had ended up skating into a railing. He'd been trying to be a 'cool dad.'

Maybe it was the good memories that would help make this place a little less haunted for her.


	14. Chapter 14

_**A/N: Hello Everyone! Here's the last chapter of Must Be Fate. Fear not, my young padawans, we will have more stories to come! We still need to finish Night Raid as well as Alpha and Omega. There are more to come after though including: Harry Potter Crossover, Fullmetal Alchemist Crossover, Black Panther Crossover, and While You Were Sleeping Crossover, all starting the RWBY gals. As always, read and review!**_

Yang's POV

Walking up the stairs to our apartment, I rubbed the back of my neck in an effort to try to get it to loosen up. I'd recently started volunteering at the local gym, helping teach kids boxing and martial arts in an effort to help them come up into their own and bring up their self esteem. It sometimes left me decently sore, but it was worth it. It had been my turn to close tonight, which made me a little late getting home, something not helped by my stopping by the flower shop to get my girlfriend a little something.

After graduation, Blake had applied to get her Masters while I set up a mechanic shop right in the heart of Vale. Our family wasn't at all surprised when we'd announced that we'd be moving in together. My girlfriend still had her trust fund and I had saved up enough over the years to keep us afloat for a few months while I worked on getting more customers. We'd gone apartment shopping and eventually settled on our current place, right across from the park.

I'd also happened to run into Mercury, and had apologized officially for what had happened. He'd been a bit reluctant about even talking to me but had been surprisingly accepting of the apology. He sometimes came by the gym for rematches, ones that were fair and clean.

Mom, Ruby, Ilia, and our friends visited us often. They'd drop by, bringing lunch or staying for dinner. It was fun having them around. We tried to visit often to make the separation easier but in all honesty it had gone rather well. Weiss was now head of the Schnee company and Uncle Qrow was an excited soon to be dad. Ruby was more than thrilled about it but I couldn't say the same for the youngest Schnee.

Everything had fallen nicely into place but I still, sometimes, despite myself, found my thoughts drifting to Raven. No one had heard from her in months and despite how she'd treated me, I couldn't help but think about her. Just a brief thought, enough to remind me how much better it was without her around.

I wasn't the only one that had grown. Blake was doing so much better with her panic attacks. It had been over a year since her last one. The anniversary of her parents death was still a hard day for us but she was doing much better than before. She wouldn't go days without sleep, rather she would stay home and write letters to them as a form of therapy. We'd even gone back to Menagerie and she had started fixing up her house so that we could use it in the summer.

I opened the door to our apartment and dropped my gym bag on the floor before kicking off my shoes. I smiled as the smell of food hit me and I went into the kitchen to see Blake fixing dinner, stirring the sauce in the pot. I wrapped my arms around her waist and gave her cheek a kiss. She smiled and turned to kiss my lips before shooing me away to the dinner table. I laughed and placed the flowers in the vase before grabbing a piece of garlic bread.

"How was the gym?" she asked as she served dinner.

"Busy, as usual," I answered. "How was school?"

"Tormenting, as usual."

I laughed and she smiled in response. I watched as she sat down across from me at our small table, and didn't even try to hide it when she caught me staring, shooting me a smirk. We talked about our next trip after graduation. Her current internship had offered her a job, but we both wanted to get away before she started. She'd be working with teens, giving them therapy to overcome their trauma. Having her own demons certainly helped her connect to them, and I knew how much she loved working with them.

After dinner we moved to the couch, movie playing in the background. Blake sat on my lap, head against my shoulder. My hand rubbed gentle circles on her back as she played with my hair. It was peaceful, it was something I hadn't really thought possible a couple years ago. Now, though, I lived for these moments.

She suddenly moved, lifting her head from my shoulder and golden eyes met my gaze. "Marry me."

My hand stopped and I watched as she dug into her jacket pocket with her free hand to pull out a black box. She opened it and inside was a diamond ring with yellow and purple stones on its side.

"Marry me," Blake repeated. When I didn't immediately answer, my gaze going from the ring to meeting her eyes once again.

I couldn't have stopped the smile if I'd wanted to. The woman I'd loved for the last three years was asking me to marry her, to spend the rest of my life with her. We loved each other, flaws and all. So, of course, my answer was "yes."


End file.
